People who are vigorous and brutal often find war enjoyable, provided that it is a victorious war and that there is not too much interference with rape and plunder. This is a great help in persuading people that wars are righteous.
Source: Bertrand Russell : Ideas That Have Harmed Mankind，1946
More info.: https://russell-j.com/beginner/0861HARM-020.HTM
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Once a war begins, it becomes extremely difficult to stop. The side that initiates the war -- such as a country -- claims that it is acting "in self-defense," , "to remove a threat," or "for justice," while the side that is attacked responds by saying it is acting "to protect its people" or "to prevent invasion."
Hardly any countries or populations actually favor war itself, yet it is rare for either side to make concessions and end the war on their own. Therefore, unless extraordinary circumstances occur -- such as an overwhelming defeat or a change of government -- wars tend to drag on.
In today's "Words of Russell," Russell discusses "human psychology in wartime." He notes that whenever a conflict arises, some people overreact even in peacetime, but during war, individuals inevitably appear who, wearing the "mask of justice," commit cruel acts. This seems to be a truth that has repeated itself across all times and places.
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