Conflict among Nations as a Global Issue Throughout History

Throughout history, enduring issues have developed across time and societies. One such issue is conflict, this is a disagreement between two opposing parties. This issue is significant as it can destroy empires, encourage innovations, and kill or displace civilians. You can see the significance of conflict in the destruction of Carthage, World War 1 and the civil war in Syria.

One historical example of the negative effects of conflict is the destruction of Carthage. The destruction of Carthage was the event that ended the 132 years long Punic Wars. The Punic Wars represent a series of conflicts fought by the Roman Empire and the Carthaginian Empire. The first war of the Punic Wars lasted from 264 to 241 (B.C.E.), the second war took place in 218 to 202 (B.C.E.), the third war (which ended with the destruction of Carthage) lasted from 146 to 146 (B.C.E.). In 146 (B.C.E.) the Roman army penetrated the city of Carthage. They solemnly burned the city to the ground and scarcely left no ruin untouched or ruthlessly destroyed. Document 1 states '[the City of Carthage] had vied with the greatest of empires in its wealth of arms and ships and elephants and money, which had manifested extraordinary courage by resisting an aggressive enemy and famine for three years, after it ships had befall taken- this city was now being utterly blotted out and destroyed. ' This quote from Document 1 shows the negative effects of the destruction of Carthage.

The quote shows how the city was at it best and the way the city acted at it harshest times. The way the author of the document, Appian, describes the city's reign, gives a good, imagine of how powerful and strong-willed the empire was and why the burning of the city was of such large importance. The enduring issue of conflict has left a remaining handprint on the world because, it gives people today a clue of the way people lived in the pasted. The ruins of Carthage show the daily live of a Crathgian citizens and the way the Roman army attacked.

A historical example of beneficial effects of conflict on people is World War 1. The First World War also called the Great War endure a war that happen in the early 1900s in Europe, between, the Central powers form the east and the Allied powers from the west. The Allied powers were created by of the Great Britain's, France's, Russia's, Italy's, Japan's and later the United States' armies, the Central powers had been made up of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. The brutal war started from a mix of militarism, imperialism, nationalism and secret alliances that European countries were experiencing in the early 1900s and the late 1800s, but the finally thing the started War World 1 was the political assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie by a Bosnian Serb nationalist who was a member of the Young Bosnia Movement.

The Bosnia Movement was a political movement created and join by mostly school students, they wanted Yugoslavia, this was a controversial idea for a unified south Slavs state that emerged in the 17th century,the sole way to achieve this however was through the political unification of Bosnia and Herzegovina with Serbia. This assassination caused the Archduke’s country, Austria-Hungary, to declare war with Serbia, then Serbia's secret allies joined in which caused Austria-Hungary’s secret allies to join and their secret allies to the join, therefore producing all of Europe to get involved in this originally Slavic war. The United States would later join in the ‘European War’ because Germany was sinking their passenger ship, saying that their was allegedly suppled for the allies aboard the ships. This world war, that lasted 4 challenging years and cause detrimental amounts damage to the western front, that was chiefly in France, the reason for the extensive amounts of damage was the new technology that had just came out. As document 2 says “Once they realized how accurate and effective the new cannons, bombs, and machine guns were, they required a modern strategy.

Both sides dug a series of trenches to protect themselves from enemy fire” This quote show how World War 1 had an effect on people because from this new war technique many soldiers were shot down, only for their army to gain a little land or territory back. Trenches while being a innovation cause many people to inevitably lose their lives, but the quote does show the positive effect conflict has on people. The quote from Document 2 shows how the new improvements in technology of the 1900s caused the soldiers of War World 1 to innovate a new way of warfare, this innovation is stilled used by militaries today in wars.

A modern example of negative results of conflict on people is the current chemical attacks in Syria. The chemical attacks in Syria have developed because of the civil war the country is currently facing. The civil war started back in 2011 between rebel groups, that are also fighting each other and the government of Syria. The first chemical attack happened in 2013 in a populated city called Damascus, form then 11 more attacks have occurred in the surrounding areas (as of August 21, 2013) The chemical attacks where order by the Syrian Government but has affect not only the Rebel groups they were targeting but their citizens as well. The hazardous chemical obtains is possibly sarin a chemical identified to cause tightness in the chest, blurred vision, a lost of consciousness, paralysis, convulsions, and respiratory failure that can cause death on some occasions. Document 3 stated that “As a result of civil war 250,000 Syrians have lost their live and more than 11 million have fled the country.” This shows the major effect the this conflict has on the people because it gives an idea of just how many lives are ruined and how many people are being displaced. This enduring issue of conflict with the Syrian Chemical attacks is still going on today and even more people every day are losing their lives and loved ones to the chemical attacks. As of September 12, 2018, about 88 more chemical attacks have happened (armscontorl.org) and more has possibly happen since. Websites like unicefusa.com, savethechildren.org, as while as, refugeerights.org has set up fundraisers and clothes donations for the many civilizations misplaced by the Syrian civil war.

One can now see this issue of conflict has affected the lives of many people across many different times and places in history. The issue of conflict continued over time as shown in the burning of Carthage, World War 1 and the current Chemical attacks in Syria, because it shows how conflict can destroy large empires and cities, cause innovations and kill or misplace people. Conflict is an issue the will continue to affect different societies throughout time with various events.