Consequences of War

Wars have consequences. Those wounded or killed are the most obvious. Damage to health, mental health and future generations may be lifelong. Ecologic damage to a country may change the nature of a country and the economy also, as has been the case in deforestation with Agent Orange in Vietnam from Agent Orange. Nutritional damage may cause lifelong loss of mental ability, small or deformed stature, decreased or absent reproductive ability, birth defects, and increased vulnerability to diseases. The financial and human costs to the “winners” and “losers”

may be far beyond what was anticipated, as has been illustrated by the Vietnam War and the two Iraq wars. Families can be destroyed by war physically and emotionally. Illustrations from various wars especially the Vietnam war are particularly illustrative of the effects of war and these will be discussed in greater detail than other wars.