Indeed, with the theme of war as my main theme this year, I have come to the conclusion that it certainly brings with it immeasurable mass destruction. War is an unfortunate event that leads to violence, destruction, slaughter and annihilation. The last few centuries mark a significant era of wars that have killed millions of people. These wars, especially the American Civil War in 1861 and World War II in 1939, give us a broader understanding of the horrors an individual faced during a violent time. The American Civil War, a war fought over the issue of slavery, was one that initially began due to distinct interests between the Northern and Southern states. As written in Emancipation During the Civil War, “When the war began the Union policy strictly prohibited interference with the institution of slavery” (Emancipation during the Civil War in Sources, 228). In other words, the Northern states refused to accept slavery; from the beginning. Abraham Lincoln, a labor organizer, announced that he would rebel against slavery by force if necessary; thus causing the outbreak of the American Civil War. World War II, a war of the twentieth century, was mainly caused by a cruel leader, Adolf Hitler. The Covenant of the League of Nations arose from the First World War, which provided for peace treaties signed at the end of the war. As Article 11 states, “Any war or threat of war, whether or not immediately affecting any of the members of the League, is hereby declared to be of concern to the entire League and the League will take such action as may be deemed…” (The Covenant of the League of Nations, 333). In other words, the League of Nations was meant to take care of any potential war by preventing it from occurring or… middle of paper… important as it would lead to peace. He states: “We wish that [Germany] would accept a place of equality among the peoples of the new world – the new world in which we now live – instead of a place of domination” (The Fourteen Points in Sources, 358). I agree because there was certainly no way to prevent the war when the main goal was to stop Nazi Germany from attacking. In dealing with this Second World War, it was essential to fight against Hitler; thus, maintaining peace with other nations. Studying the different aspects of these wars in great detail, I can now say that I find these things quite interesting. War is always bound to happen and will really disrupt many people's lives. Yes, 9/11 marked the beginning of the 21st century, but it should be the worst incident of this century; and hopefully future generations will not have to know the atrocities of our century.