[pf] Why do wars go on, beyond the *status quo ante*?

At 11:26 29/5/2001 +1200, I wrote:
>· I remember ... the crossing of the Rhine ...
>.. remember wondering about the various possible reasons for the
fanaticism that we were told about - thinking that maybe they were
defending land they felt strongly about, in the same way most British felt
strongly about any invasion of Britain.
>  

· I don't know why it's taken me this long, but I'm only now aware of
another critical time during those world wars.

· In WW-II, Nazi Germany under Hitler was the aggressor, in Poland, Austria
& Czechoslovakia, Russia, Holland & Denmark, and France. 
  Imperial Japan captured/conquered (before WW-II) the eastern plains part
of China, and later in WW-II, many pieces of land in the western Pacific.

· Why did the battle go on past the point at which they were "put back
where they came from"?
  The answer probably is that this had been tried at the end of WW-I, and
WW-II was the result of leaving the successors of the original leadership
in power. (Plus other factors like widespread resentment at the conditions
imposed by the victors aimed at ensuring that WW-II couldn't happen.)

· Nothing is ever this simple, but as I was re-considering Gary's thank-you
note on Memorial Day, I was struck by the (to-me-apparent) fact that most
American GI deaths must have occurred _after_ the time when being "put back
where they came from" could have been seen in the near future as "winning
the war".
  After the time when the USA was no longer seriously threatened, because
the Wehrmacht and German Navy had been fought to a standstill, and on land
at least, were in retreat. Thanks to the USA coming into the war.

· I guess I see varying degrees of justification for a war. For example I
would agree that the Chinese were justified in "tossing aside the yoke of
the oppressor" in fighting against the Japanese invasion of their homeland,
and the Vietnamese fighting against the French (and later the Americans,
Australians and New Zealanders etc.) when these tried to control their
country.

· It's no longer defending one's homeland (or even way of life) when your
powerful forces are sent to foreign lands to invade and conquer them. IMO.

David.
(David MacClement) davd@ihug.co.nz 
http://www.geocities.com/davd.geo/index.html#top
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