Essay on novel The war by timothy Findley Literature & Language Essay

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Benevolence in Times of War
War is a costly endeavor. However, the cost here does not refer to money alone. It also refers to the extent to which war-waging countries are willing to go to ensure complete victory. Since the Hellenistic age, republics such as Macedonia, Rome, and France engaged in wars to expand and acquire wealth. As a result, when war was declared, these states focused all their available forces and resources to the cause. This enabled such states to become empires during their time. However, as history has shown, all realms come to an end. Still, the most important thing to learn from these early war-waging republics is that the aim of war is victory over your enemy. Aristotle echoed these same words. In the modern-day, however, things have changed. Nations wage war faintheartedly. As Carl von Clausewitz said, "In Such dangerous things as war, the errors that proceed from a benevolence spirit are the worse." This paper aims to discuss this quote used by Timothy Findley in his novel, ''The Wars'Wars', to understand the author's stance on life and war.
The aim of war is victory over your enemy. This is a statement that has been repeated again and again over the centuries. There is a truth to this statement. In his novel, Findley captures this truth. He asserts that when countries go to war, they should force their enemy into submission (Findley 75). This is an essential lesson in war. When Kings and emperors waged war in ancient times, they compel other kingdoms and empires to submit to their will. Over an extended period, this philosophy of war prevailed and enabled people in the olden days to have a purpose of living (Hayatli 7). However, those nations that waged war and acted benevolently towards their subdued enemies often faced dire consequences. For instance, when Alexander the Great invaded Persia, he went on to win great battles and eventually conquer the entire Persian empire. However, after accomplishing this almost impossible task, he decided to settle in Persia. Also, he began to acquire the Persian people's customs and even allowed some of their leaders to retain power. However, as Alexander later learned, this was a grave mistake. It is his act of benevolence towards his enemy that led to his immediate downfall.
The story of Alexander the Great is an excellent example of how benevolence during a war can lead to worse things. As Findley notes, war was greatly valued by leaders and ordinary people alike (Findley 84). It provided leaders with proof of victory and spoils of war, which they could bring back to their people. Among ordinary people, war was a reason to gain glory (Hayatli 7). Many war generals and commanders suffered greatly under the hands of other generals, leaders, and even the common people if they failed to achieve victory in their campaigns. This would explain why people like Caesar and Xerxes are still renowned to date. They invaded other empires without mercy and using the best battle strategies ever seen. Their failure to show kindness during a war enabled them to achieve conquests that would be talked about for centuries.
As Findley notes, war is often a necessity in some situations (Findley 3). For instance, during the Vietna...