The War Myth in United States History By C. H. HAMLIN _Atlantic Christian College_ _With Introduction by_ CHARLES F. DOLE THE VANGUARD PRESS NEW YORK _Copyright, 1927, by_ VANGUARD PRESS, INC. VANGUARD PRINTINGS _Fifth Printing_ PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA _To my brother,_ ASKEW H. HAMLIN _A life full of promise cut short in early manhood_ CONTENTS _Chapter_ Introduction I. Patriotism and Peace II. The Revolutionary War III. The War of 1812 IV. The War With Mexico V. The Civil War VI. The War With Spain VII. The World War THE WAR MYTH IN UNITED STATES HISTORY INTRODUCTION Professor Hamlin's book seems to me not merely interesting but extremely important. No man who cares for the story of his country can afford to neglect it. The plan of the work is suggested by the title;--the time has come to ask soberly regarding every war in which the United States has been engaged from the beginning, whether it had to be, and if it had to be, why? We want to know frankly if our wars have brought us glory. It is already easy to see that the wars of other nations, and especially of those who have fought against us, have entailed upon them shame, cruel measures, oppression of the poor, suppression of liberties, violation of law, destruction of wealth and immeasurable futility. But we were told that our wars had been different; our wars had been sacred; our sovereignty "could do no wrong." Had we not solemnly thanked God for his help in winning every one of our wars? The great World War has brought mankind to a new and surprising conclusion such as probably never before prevailed at the end of a war. Leading people in all nations are at one in the conclusion, that no thoughtful person in any country which entered the war knew of any adequate reason why his government should spend the blood of its people. As Mr. Lloyd George has said: "No one intended the war, but we all 'staggered and stumbled' into it." It came upon the world like an epidemic of mania. It is evident also that its coming was directly related to the prevailing fashion of "preparedness" for war and to the fears and suspiciousness that everywhere attended this preparedness. It had been the barbarous expectation for ages that war must come every once in so often, as a plague comes. Was not the world full of barbarous people, and therefore of barbarous nations? Professor Hamlin boldly carries over all the wars of our own United States into the broad generalization which includes the wars of other nations. They all belong together among the old world evils, like slavery or witchcraft, which it is our business to clear away from the earth. We apologize for them no longer. We propose not to expect them nor prepare at tremendous expense to suffer and die when they come; we propose rather through simple, humane and rational measures to provide never to endure them again.