Do Russians Want War? (Research)
dorussianswantwar.com
dorussianswantwar.com
There are many people in Putin's regime who wanted that war. In the past, there countless examples.
Most of Japanese generals wanted war in the 30s, against Manchuria, then China, then the USA.
Roosevelt wanted to engage US troops against Hitler but it wasn't politically doable before Pearl Harbor.
If "no one" implies "on one among the common people", you may read historical sources (and books from historians to help in your interpretation of them): from Homer to medieval texts, the prestige of the warrior is the basis of social distinction and power.
More recently, nationalism was invented during the XIXe as a fight to make a territory, a state and a nation as a whole and homogeneous "nation-state". Many "common people" embraced this mystical vision and happily went to war for it.
The WWI was without doubt desired by many. It was so atrocious that many European countries turn to pacifism afterwards, like France. Hence the willingness to comply with Hitler's demands, leading to the infamous Munich Treaty in 1936.
It has been demonstrated that most German people didn't want war in the 30s, but Hitler was so successful into restoring the Pan-German "pride" without true war that they let him have his way.
When I see millions of Americans buying war weapons, radicalizing to far-right ideas, it looks to me that they would happily fight in a second civil war - basically to ascertain the dominance of the "Christian Whites" even if that implies to get rid of the Constitution.
War appeals many young males. It has changed in many countries after the experience of what modern war really is.
Women are no less pro-war. Most cultures prohibits them from fighting but Kurdish women, among other examples, have proved them as valuable as men. And women are not at all "by nature" more peaceful. So many women supported wars and have been willing to send their sons fight, and proudly so.
We need History (as a Science by historians) to be taught and we need independent journalism to keep in everybody's minds, especially the younger, that war is atrocious.
Ken Burns' work is remarkable. I am waiting for books from historians telling us how atrocious war the 2nd war and occupation of Iraq.
In France, the process of assessment of the horrors we committed during the Algerian independence war has started. This realization has produced a counterattack from the far-right, which roots are deeply linked to the war in Algeria.
We tend to forget the horrors of the past and glorify it. We don't learn for good how war is atrocious. We also forget that dictators must be stopped asap when they start war to widen their territory or influence.
I hate war. That's why I think we (OTAN & EU) should intervene in Ukraine. The no-fly zone is a duty. Then supply Ukraine with everything they need and let ex-army volunteers join International Brigades.
If we don't, then Putin will go on, reclaiming now-Polish territories or setting coups in Baltic countries. And China will know that they can do whatever they want.
We should also learn to apologize properly to the countries we colonized or dominated and exploited ignominiously. The West misbehaved in China in the XIXth. China wants revenge. We must acknowledge it and be at the same time military ready and make amends. IMO, this is the only way to show true good will without looking weak.
The nationalist sentiment in China is strong. India, the largest democracy, has a far-right Hindi party in power. Many people in those countries ate willing to go to war. They are so numerous that they feel invincible.
Putin wants NATO to back off from its border, maybe he wants Ukraine, but he does not want war, war is the last resolution.
We have no judicial system, we have no elections, we have no free media, we have nothing.
Happy 1984.
Somebody with tech skills should set up a service of this kind: Buy a (limited, no porn etc) VPN connection for somebody in Russia.
The intended target audience lives in a tight state controlled information echo-chamber, and they have no intention in leaving it.