AS VOICES for peace were too low to be heard activists decided to launch well organized movements against war to mobilize people in favour of peace.
There were two approaches to these movements: one was to convince people to abandon arms as a traditional way of life; in the second approach it was argued that the main causes of war should be analysed and removed, and a way out should be sought in which conflicts and disputes should be resolved by diplomatic means.
It was also decided that movements should be well organized to create awareness against horrors of war.
Napoleanic wars in Europe and American war with Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines urged political activists as well as intellectuals to launch movements for peace and raise their voice against war.
It resulted in the emergence of the New York peace society in 1815, British peace society in 1816, and American peace society in 1828.
From 1848 to 1851 these organizations held peace conferences regularly and discussed that how world peace should be implemented. Their proposals were that for maintaining peace, negociation and mutual talks were essential. Nations should resolve their problems by diplomacy rather than war.
The race for arms was the cause of tension thus the production of arms should be curtailed and attempts be made to eliminate them.
The peace movements were spread to other countries and in 1867 a League of Peace was founded in France. In 1891, Germany and Austria organized groups for peace. Bertha von Sttutner published her book “Die Waffen Nieder” (Lay down your Arms) in 1889 that soon became the Bible for peace lovers.
In 1905, National Council for Peace was formed which represented various groups. This clearly indicates that how people were concerned about peace.
In United States, in 1866, Universal Peace Union was followed by World Peace Foundation, Church Peace Union, and in 1899, Anti-Imperialist league.
Mark Twin was its active member and extensively propagated against war in his writings. In one of his essays, he wrote that war divided a nation into two groups: patriots and traitors.
In another article he asserted that nation should decide their problems and disputes by themselves without any external interference.
He openly declared that he was anti-imperialist and opposed any invasion and occupation of any other country.
The Peace movements opposed the theory that man was inherently prone to jealousy, hatred and terrorism and argued that man always wanted to live in peace. Therefore, to prevent conflicts the best method was to promote sentiments of love and brotherhood.
Man was exhausted from centuries of war and wanted peace in the world to enjoy worldly pleasures. To them, education was the best medium to promote these ideas. They believed that people be made aware that wars were fought for the political and economic interests of the ruling classes and not for their welfare.
In the 19th century, Europe as a result of the exploitation of colonial resources was advancing rapidly. It was generally believed that their progress would remain un-hindered.
Interestingly, in the peace movements, question of colonial wars was not raised and the occupation of colonies was not condemned.
These peace movements concentrated on Europe and America and wanted to prevent and if possible to eliminate all conflicts peacefully. However, in spite of their efforts and emerging of democratic institutions, they failed to stop World War I, which broke out in 1914.
The outcome of the war was horrendous and shattered the dream of progress to convert Europe into Utopia.
Immediately, after the war, the League of Nations was founded to resolve all disputes among nations with diplomacy.
In 1930s, peace conferences were held in The Hague and Geneva. Einstein, the scientist, also attended one of such conferences and was shocked to observe that the delegates of different countries were discussing that what weapons should be used and what not. They were in favour of war and only wanted that it should be fought on some principals.
Disgusted by their discussion, Einstein called a separate press conference and said that there was no such thing as humanize war. War was always inhuman, and therefore, should be abolished all together.
However, the peace movement could not prevent the World War II that was more catastrophic than the first, because atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that destroyed the cities .
The peace movements, after the war were subdued. Only during the Algerian war of independence, the French public demonstrated against their government and forced to recognize Algerian independence.
The movement again emerged forcefully against Vietnam War. During the first and second Gulf wars, there were demonstrations, especially in the recent war, to put pressure on UK, USA governments not to invade Iraq.
In democratic societies it is argued that decisions are made in the parliaments and not on the streets. In spite of people’s opposition, Iraq was invaded and occupied which raises the question that: can people’s voices be heard only at the time of election and be ignored in deciding such serious issues as war and occupation?
Warren E. Keuhl, writing on “International Peace” observes: “Man, therefore, stands at the same threshold he approached centuries ago. Despite improved means of communication, an ominous threat to his survival, an increased awareness of his danger and the experiences and machinery of his past to aid him, peace still remains a dream. The idea of peace, however, has survived innumerable wars and still motivates men to hope and work for the millennium.”
