Is war a necessity or a fulfilment of one’s greed? One could argue it’s both. War is an action coined by one man’s greed for power and wealth, whilst simultaneously being a reaction from another out of fear and pride. For centuries, the world has been infested by wars declared by powerful men to gain or regain power. From the very first war recorded in history in 2700 BCE, in Mesopotamia between Sumer and Elam, to the current ongoing wars both in the West and the East. It has become synonymous with a game of dominoes. Everyone falls, but the last to touch the ground claims the title ‘conqueror’.

The action of war is a plague to the nation, but a satisfactory sight to the leader. The nation’s future is eradicated at the front lines under the guise of nationalism and regaining the control they never lost. Families are left with negative energy that they could never attain unless they were to lie on their headstones. The action of war is never for the good of a nation but for the betterment of the overly comforted leader. The divide is unrecognisable by many until they lie safe in their beds in the same, maybe even worse, predicament than they were in. Their only reward is a questionably kept medal and trauma.

The reaction to war is a united play in which the nation and the leader are one. The same fear of walking a road they might never return from, and a collective thinking of how their current situation came to be. The men and women are bound by the simple yet tearful prayers of their mothers and wives, who still seek safety in their haven. They gain nothing but perseverance for freedom. A somewhat peaceful nation can only be recalled in memories as it is now ridiculed with ashes and crumbled foundations. Other than unforeseen freedom, their preferred reward would be a body, whole in the presence of their family.

Now, what is the need for war? The answer can be quite subjective. However, ironically, only in times of war is a nation so collective on both extremes of the scale.