Blog Posts
A Third World War?
As a child born in London in 1947 in the aftermath of The Second World War, I became accustomed to walking past 'Bomb Sites', those gaps in the rows of houses signifying destruction and death.
During the 'Cuban Missile Crisis' in 1962, when I was 15 years old and attending an independent school for boys which had a 'Combined Cadet Force' (which meant I had already received 'Basic Training' in the Army Section) rumours spread rapidly amongst my friends that we might be eligible to serve in any resulting conflict.
Fortunately, thanks principally to JFK, this never happened, but the fear of one day being forced to kill or be killed remained with me and my generation ever after, as did hatred of Nuclear Weapons.
In the 1960s, when the 'Cold War', which was actually 'born' in 1947 like me, was still a threat to world peace. My generation's beliefs and behaviour reflected that threat by living as if there might be no tomorrow, creating an unfortunate, lasting rift between us and our parents' generation ... though, admittedly, we had great fun!
However, beneath all that the rebellious 'fun' for many of us. the fear of sudden annihalation still remained, nurtured by a surge in protest songs and poetry which were, of course, rapidly added to when America entered the Vietnam War in the mid-sixties.
Most willingly, I left home in 1965 for Bretton Hall College armed with a collection of O and A levels, my new acoustic guitar and, soon after, my treasured LP, Bob Dylan's iconic Freewheelin' album.
Bretton was a revelation. The friends I quickly made there were mostly expecting their lives to be cut short by Nuclear War as I was. Consequently, we played folk and protest songs together, we also played electric rock and blues, we talked, we learnt so much about ourselves and our chosen subjects, we fell in love, and, above all, we 'partied' enthusiastically as often as we could!
In short, the dreaded war didn't happen and we survived to become useful, well-educated members of the teaching community.
What also survived, for me and my dear, late wife whom I met at Bretton, was the belief that, for us, making the most of every day of our shared life together was paramount.
And now, my life-long fear and hatred of Nuclear Attack and World Conflict, has returned.
This time it's worse than I ever imagined, because so many innocent men, women and children have already been killed, maimed, forced from their homes, deprived of food, water, medicine and ultimately any real hope that their suffering will end.
What Now?
In Britain, unlike the countries waging this unnecessary, pointless war, we are living in a Democracy.
Okay, it's not perfect, but it's the best we have at the moment and I may be mistaken but I think those of us who think all politicians are either useless or self-serving are wrong.
We have, every one of us, the democratic right to demand more spending on our out-dated defence equipment and our own Army, Navy and Airforce, particularly as we can no longer rely on America to supply weapons and equipment.
Yes, we will have to suffer tax increases. and yes, the wealthiest should and must pay the most, but we will all be paying for our own right to live in peace and that is surely priceless.
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