Anti war protest in Melbourne, Australia, 2003

Anti-war is a term that is widely adopted by any social movement or person that seeks to end or oppose a future or current war. It can be considered a somewhat loaded term, as anti-war activists are not always protesting against war per se (they may support one side over another, for example), nor are their opponents necessarily aggressively "pro war.". Anti-war protesters in Melbourne, Australia. ... War is a state of widespread conflict between states, organisations, or relatively large groups of people, which is characterised by the use of violent, physical force between combatants or upon civilians. ... A language construct, such as a word or a question, is said to be loaded if it carries meaning or implications beyond its strict definition (its denotation). ...

In simple terms, 'anti-war' means 'against this war', be it Vietnam, Gulf War I, Gulf War II, or any war. The protesters are not automatically pacifists, they are just against a war they believe is either unjust, unfair, or goes against their best interest. On the other hand, a pacifist believes that any war is wrong. C Company, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1st UK Armoured Division The 1991 Persian Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of 34 nations mandated by the United Nations and led by the United States. ... The 2003 invasion of Iraq, also called the Iraq War or Operation Iraqi Freedom, began March 20, 2003, initiated by the United States, the United Kingdom and a loosely-defined coalition. ... Pacifist may mean: an advocate of pacifism. ...

Anti-war thought became a much more dominant factor in global politics during the last half of the 20th century. Public anti-war protests have been a common outlet for anti-war feelings in recent years, often attracting hundreds of thousands of participants. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

Many large anti-war movements have been orchestrated in opposition to wars led by the government of the United States, with Americans themselves often being the most vocal critics. Anti-war sentiment in America reached a peak during the height of the Vietnam War and was rekindled to some extent in the months leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. February 15, 2003 saw the biggest global protest movement ever against the predicted invasion of Iraq, with millions of participants worldwide. ... US,Us or us may stand for the United States of America us, the oblique case form of the English language pronoun we. ... The Vietnam War was fought from 1957 to 1975 between Soviet-supported Vietnamese nationalist and Communist forces and an array of Western and pro-Western forces, most notably the United States. ... The 2003 invasion of Iraq, also called the Iraq War or Operation Iraqi Freedom, began March 20, 2003, initiated by the United States, the United Kingdom and a loosely-defined coalition. ... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Thousands of small and large global protests against war in general, the U.S. plan to invade Iraq and the war itself were held from 2002 to 2005. ... The 2003 invasion of Iraq, also called the Iraq War or Operation Iraqi Freedom, began March 20, 2003, initiated by the United States, the United Kingdom and a loosely-defined coalition. ...

Anti-war versus pacifism

Anti-war movements and pacifist movements are related, but are not one and the same. Pacifism is the belief that conflict is never acceptable, and that society should not be structured to maintain a stance of readiness to fight in a conflict (See disarmament). Anti-war movements are generally more specific, focusing on a particular conflict, or how it is being managed. Anti-War stances developed repeatedly during the 20th century, most notably during the First World War, when demonstrators in Russia demanded an end to that nation's involvement in armed hostilities. There have been anti-war movements since then, culminating in the movement developed in response to the American involvement in Vietnam. Pacifist may mean: an advocate of pacifism. ... Pacifism is opposition to the practice of war. ... Arms control is a broad term alluding to a range of political concepts and aims. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ...

Brief history of modern anti-war movements

The history of the anti-war stance in literature and society dates back in modern terms to the American Civil War, which culminated in the candidacy of George McClellan for President of the United States as a "Peace Democrat" against incumbent President Abraham Lincoln. The outlines of the anti-war stance are seen: the argument that the costs of maintaining the present conflict are not worth the gains which can be made, the appeal to end the horrors of war, and the argument that war is being profitted from by particular interests. After the war the Red Badge of Courage presented the chaos and sense of death which hovers over the style of combat which was growing in importance: away from the set engagement, and towards two armies engaging in continuous combat over a wide area. With the increasing mechanization of war, the stance in opposition to the horrors of war grew, particularly in the wake of the First World War. Many veterans of that war were extremely cynical about the motivations for entering the war, but were willing to fight later in the Spanish Civil War, indicating that pacifism was not always the motivation. See such novels as All Quiet On The Western Front, For Whom the Bell Tolls and Johnny Got His Gun. Open Directory Project: Literature World Literature Electronic Text Archives Magazines and E-zines Online Writing Writers Resources Libraries, Digital Cataloguing, Metadata Distance Learning Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Classicism in Literature The Universal Library, by Carnegie Mellon University Project Gutenberg Online Library Abacci - Project Gutenberg texts matched with Amazon... ... The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the United States – forces coming mostly from the 23 northern states of the Union – and the newly-formed Confederate States of America, which consisted of 11 southern states that had declared their secession. ... George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 - October 29, 1885) was a Major General of the Union Army during the American Civil War. ... Seal of the President of the United States The President of the United States is the head of state of the United States. ... Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator, was the 16th (1861–1865) President of the United States, and the first president from the Republican Party. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... A veteran refers to a person who is experienced in a particular area, particularly referring to people in the armed forces. ... History of Spain Series Prehistoric Spain Roman Spain Medieval Spain Age of Reconquest Age of Expansion Age of Enlightenment Reaction and Revolution First Spanish Republic The Restoration Second Spanish Republic Spanish Civil War The Dictatorship Modern Spain Topics Economic History Military History Social History The Spanish Civil War (July 1936... Pacifism is opposition to the practice of war. ... All Quiet on the Western Front is a novel by Erich Maria Remarque, a German veteran of World War I, about the horrors of that war and also the deep detachment from German civilian life felt by many men returning from the front. ... For Whom the Bell Tolls book cover For Whom the Bell Tolls is a 1940 novel by Ernest Hemingway. ... Johnny Got His Gun (ISBN 0553274325) is a vivid anti-war novel written in 1939 by Dalton Trumbo. ...

Anti-War movements in the modern sense can be traced by the use of mass demonstration, even riots, to oppose involvement in a particular war. This separates them from anti-war parties in, for example the War of 1812. The connection comes from the different manner in which wars in industrialized societies are fought: relying on conscription and mobilization of the total resources of the society for the conflict. The attempt to end the political will to engage in a war from the inside increasingly used counter-mobilization as proof that the war effort was unsustainable, since it no longer enjoyed sufficient popular support to be maintained. Riots in Newark, New Jersey Riots occur when crowds of people have gathered and are committing crimes or acts of violence. ... The War of 1812 was a conflict fought in North America between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815. ...

World War II seemed, for a time, to set anti-war movements at a distinct social disadvantage, it seemed, for some time, that only ardent pacificists would argue against World War II and the results. However the grim realities of modern combat, and the nature of mechanized society insured that the anti-war viewpoint would again find presentation in Catch-22, Slaughterhouse Five and The Tin Drum. This sentiment grew in strength as the Cold War seemed to present the situation of an unending series of conflicts, which were fought at terrible cost to the younger generation. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (over 11 miles) into the air. ... Pacifist may mean: an advocate of pacifism. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (over 11 miles) into the air. ... The Cold War was the open yet restricted rivalry that developed after World War II between the United States and its allies and the Soviet Union and its allies. ...

It was, of course, with the Vietnam War that the anti-war movements took shape: an opposition to the corporate interests perceived as benefiting from war, to the status quo which was trading the lives of the young for the comforts of those who are older, and to the lack of input in decision making that those who would die in the conflict would have in deciding to engage in it. Many veterans of Vietnam, including John Kerry would speak out against the Vietnam conflict on their return to civilian life. The tactics of a post-modern anti-war movement were also refined: away from demonstrations per se, and towards an attempt to create the sense in the mass media of a basic social revulsion against the conflict, or war in general. This included focusing on war profiteering and civilian casualties in the arguments used. The Vietnam War was fought from 1957 to 1975 between Soviet-supported Vietnamese nationalist and Communist forces and an array of Western and pro-Western forces, most notably the United States. ... For the perennial British rock band, see Status Quo (band) Status quo is a Latin term meaning the present current, existing state of affairs. ... Vietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War. ... Office: Junior Senator, Massachusetts Political party: Democratic Term of office: January 1985 – Present Preceded by: Paul Tsongas Succeeded by: Incumbent (2009) Date of birth: December 11, 1943 Place of birth: Aurora, Colorado Marriage: (1) Julia Thorne, divorced (2) Teresa Heinz Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the... Mass media is the term used to denote, as a class, that section of the media specifically conceived and designed to reach a very large audience (typically at least as large as the whole population of a nation state). ...

The anti-war position gained renewed support in the wake of the conflict between the United States and Iraq. Many 2004 Democratic presidential contenders, including former NATO commander Wesley Clark and Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, felt that it was an optional war, unrelated to the Global War on Terrorism. They argued that there had been a headlong rush to war, and that the evidence of the necessity for war was insufficient. Opposition to the conflict, how it had been fought, and complications during the aftermath period divided public sentiment in the U.S., resulting in public opinion turning against the war for the first time in the spring of 2004, just before the United States handed over limited sovereignty to an interim government. 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... The flag of NATO NATO 2002 Summit The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), sometimes called North Atlantic Alliance, Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for defence collaboration established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 1949. ... Wesley Clark Wesley Kanne Clark (born December 23, 1944) is a retired four-star general in the U.S. Army. ... State nickname: The Green Mountain State Other U.S. States Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Governor Jim Douglas Official languages None Area 24,923 km² (45th)  - Land 23,974 km²  - Water 949 km² (3. ... Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean Howard Brush Dean III, M.D. (born November 17, 1948) is a prominent American Democratic politician, currently serving as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. ... The war on terrorism or war on terror (abbreviated in U.S. policy circles as GWOT for Global War on Terror) is an effort by the governments of the United States and its principal allies to destroy groups deemed to be terrorist (primarily radical Islamist organizations such as al-Qaeda... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... The word spring has several meanings: spring (device), a common mechanical part. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• list of protest songs
• post-September 11 anti-war movement
• pacifism
• peace movement
• Vietnam Veterans Against the War

For information about protest songs in general, see Protest song. ... This article deals with the post-September 11 anti-war movement, with a particular focus on the formation of anti-war coalitions (especially on the political left), and the relations between different factions within the movement. ... Pacifism is opposition to the practice of war. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) is a tax-exempt non-profit corporation, originally created to oppose the Vietnam War. ...

External links

• American Friends Service Committee's Wage Peace Campaign
• Stop the War Coalition (UK)
• The ACTivist Magazine
• Antiwar.com