Let's make the 21st century a century of peace

By David Cavendish

The 20th century will be remembered as the most violent period in human history.

The last 100 years have witnessed two world wars, the second of which ended with the unspeakable horror of the atomic bombing of two Japanese cities and the death of millions in the Holocaust.

Since 1900 numerous smaller wars have caused untold death and suffering. From Algeria to the Philippines, from Spain to Vietnam the forces of reaction used their military might to suppress peoples' liberation struggles. For more than 50 years the people of the Earth have lived on the brink of nuclear annihilation.

This legacy can be daunting, but only if we look at one side of the equation. For while the forces of militarism have had their day, their policies have been resisted every step of the way.

The 20th century has been a time that has seen the rise of many peace movements that continue to the present. If anything, these forces may be stronger than ever.

The early days of the century saw the rise of opposition to the First World War by a variety of groups, none more dedicated than the Socialists, many of whom founded the Communist Party.

In the 1930s, groups as diverse as pacifists and students mobilized against the growth of fascism and supported a call for collective security proposed by the Soviet Union.

With the dawn of the Cold War, people worked to reduce international tensions through movements, including the Stockholm Peace Appeal and the "Ban the Bomb" campaign. Groups such as SANE and the Women's Strike for Peace mobilized against the power of the military-industrial complex.

The 1960s saw the development of the anti-Vietnam war movement, which began on college campuses, but spread to the general community and was joined by the heroic fighters of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Martin Luther King eloquently spoke out about the twin evils of racism and militarism.

In recent times the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign and others have worked to end the arms race and ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. The struggles to end the blockades against Cuba and Iraq go on. Imperialist policies, spearheaded by the United States, have come under sharp attack.

The struggle, however, is far from over. We must end the obscene power that the Pentagon wields in our society. We need to eliminate all nuclear weapons and support the work of Abolition 2000 fighting for this goal.

The defense budget must be slashed and its funds allocated to meeting human needs. The Senate must reconsider and ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Our country must stop sales of weapons to countries overseas. We need to move the United States in a new direction, toward peace.

No time is more propitious than the dawn of a new century. We must make the 21st century a turning point in human history. The forces of militarism and death can be defeated and the world can enter a time of true peace.

David Cavendish is a contributor from New York.