Military History Howe Military Academy

 An attempt to distinguish between justifiable and unjustifiable use of organized armed forces  St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas  Built upon a Christian Tradition  Applicability to heathens?  Merely a tool for nations to use..

 St. Augustine  According to the Gospel of Saint Luke, Saint John the Baptist preached a baptism of penance inviting all to convert and change their lives. People from all walks of life came to him and asked what they must do to change. This precursor of Christ answered each according to his circumstances. "And the soldiers also asked him, saying: And what shall we do? And he said to them: Do violence to no man ; neither calumniate any man; and be content with your pay " (Luke 3:14).

 If the Christian Religion forbade war altogether, those who sought salutary advice in the Gospel would rather have been counseled to cast aside their arms, and to give up soldiering altogether. On the contrary, they were told: ‘Do violence to no man... and be content with your pay.’ If he commanded them to be content with their pay, he did not forbid soldiering

 What then? If it is never permissible for a Christian to strike with the sword, why did the Savior’s precursor bid the soldiers to be content with their pay, and not rather forbid them to follow this calling?  I do not mean to say that the pagans are to be slaughtered when there is any other way to prevent them from harassing and persecuting the faithful, but only that it now seems better to destroy them than that the rod of sinners be lifted over the lot of the just, and the righteous perhaps put forth their hands unto iniquity.

 1) It must be declared by legitimate authority. Saint Paul says: “He beareth not the sword in vain: for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil” (Rm. 13:4). 2) The cause must be just. He quotes Saint Augustine: "A just war is wont to be described as one that avenges wrongs, when a nation or state has to be punished, for refusing to make amends for the wrongs inflicted by its subjects, or to restore what it has seized unjustly." 3) It must be waged with good intention. "For it may happen that the war is declared by the legitimate authority, and for a just cause, and yet be rendered unlawful through a wicked intention. Hence Augustine says ( Contra Faust. xxii, 74): 'The passion for inflicting harm, the cruel thirst for vengeance, an unpacific and relentless spirit, the fever of revolt, the lust of power, and such like things, all these are rightly condemned in war.'" [3] [3]

 Michael Walzer  Just and Unjust Wars 1967

 Peace  Reduce occurrence of war

 When is it acceptable to go to war?

 All other attempts at peace must be used.  What are some modern examples of such?  Let us discuss

 Only a “Proper Authority” may declare war.  Sovereign government  What about tyrants?  What would Hobbes say?  Vichy regime

 Must be for the cause of justice  Not for self-interest  Keep this in mind when we later discuss Greek warfare theory  What war is fought without some self-interest?

 Must be capable of winning  Bloodshed with no chance of success is unacceptable  This isn’t really the case…???  Finns invading Russia  Poland vs. the Blitz

 Overlaps into jus In bello  War policy must have a goal  Must be proportional to use of force

 Iraqistan invades Umbokastan. Umbokaston has just cause to take back the land. Because of the proportionality concept, Umbokastan must not have a disproportionate response while taking back the land.  What should it’s goal be?  How should it respond?

 Justification in war  Counter to Clausewitz?  International Law  Geneva Convention  Hague Treaty  STARS treaty

 A spectrum from RealPolitik to absolute pacifism

 Based on power and material aspects  See war as a tool to be used  Often called “pragmatism.”  Henry Kissinger  Che Guevara  Cardinal Richelieu

 Violence is unjustifiable under any circumstances  Well known pacifists:  Thoreau  Leo Tolstoy  Gandhi????  "I do believe that where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence I would advise violence," Gandhi wrote in his famous work, Doctrine of the Sword...When my eldest son asked me what he should have done, had he been present when I was almost fatally assaulted in 1908, whether he should have run away and seen me killed or whether he should have used his physical force which he could and wanted to use, and defended me, I told him that it was his duty to defend me even by using violence. Doctrine of the Sword