Atomic Disaster?

In 1942, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt started the Manhattan Project under the Army Corps. of Engineers with Robert Oppenheimer as the leading physicist. The Manhattan Project, lasting from 1942 to 1946, was the program in the United States to develop nuclear weapons: specifically, the atomic bomb. Then, on August 6 and 9 of 1945, the US bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki with atomic bombs devastating the cities.

Some see the bombings as a necessary end to World War II on the Asian Front. However, others saw the bomb for what it really was and not a necessity. The scientists wrote a letter explaining the known impacts of the bomb; mainly the radiation poisoning. However, the scientists also say that they do not know all of the effects such as on the environment and what role it plays after the bomb is detonated. Dr. Szilard was one of the scientists that discovered neutron emissions from uranium and, according to Einstein, "He was greatly disturbed by the potentialities involved" in using uranium for national defense. Oppenheimer quoted "I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." Instead, the scientists were pondering the idea of nuclear power instead because they did not believe it should be used in warfare and would be more beneficial providing power to the US. In a memorandum to the President: "[We] completed the most terrible weapon ever known in human history...the world...would be eventually at the mercy of such a weapon...modern civilization might be completely destroyed."

Some citizens of the United States signed and send a petition to the president against dropping the bomb because they were concerned that "There is no limit to the destructive power which will become available in the course of their future development" and our "nation which sets the precedent of using these newly liberated forces of nature for purposes of destruction may have to bear the responsibility of opening the door to an era of devastation on an unimaginable scale." The US would be responsible for every life that ended by those bombs and anyone that falls to nuclear weapons. Was the atomic bomb the right answer?

Finally, in a draft statement dated for July 30, 1945, the author wrote: "It is an atomic bomb. It is a harnessing of the basic power of the universe. The force from which the sun draws its power has been loosed." The power of the universe. Enough said.

Time and Anxiety

The "Age of Anxiety" following World War One was a time of fear, questions and new ideas. The tragic war had shocked the world and devastated an entire generation. People began to question everything they thought had been solid and definite. Society was on edge and constantly looking over its shoulder for another devastating blow. They were not wrong to do so because after the roaring twenties the Great Depression devastated society once again.

Eight years ago, a similar social shock occurred in the United States. September 11, 2001, sent the US into a similar period of anxiety. Citizens of the US had been living in a false sense of security for at least a decade because there were no serious threats or attacks. Immediately following the chain of attacks that morning, the country was stricken and questioning. We questioned national security, foreign threats, home threats and most of our society's views changed. From security, race and foreign and home affairs to an overall feeling of insecurity and worry about traveling for vacations, going to work and even sending children to school. New ideas about security and protection emerged as the ideas did after WWI. The US also looked over its shoulder for the next blow which would come economically as well. Now, the US finds itself in an economic recession and possibly a crisis that is beginning to be felt around the world. Although 9/11 in most respects was not as devastating as WWI, both created an "Age of Anxiety" in their aftermath.

Marcel Duchamp's "In Advance of the Broken Arm"

Marcel Duchamp, a French artist, is one of the most famous Dadaists and surrealists of the movement. Dadaism is one of the many new forms that appeared after World War One. Rejecting conventions, artists of the style used off-the-wall techniques to get society's attention. The movement was anti-rational and the name is a vital part of its meaning. The name sounds like nonsense and jumbled and is an accurate portrayal of the style. Dadaists among most of the new styles were anti-war as well. They did not approve of the nationalism and other causes that bought about the war. Dadaists used their art to convey their anti-war messages in a way that was supposed to catch peoples' attention and make them think.

In Duchamp's "In Advance of the Broken Arm," his views of the war are clear. At first glance, it appears to be just a shovel. But, a longer look reveals more. When a burial was conducted, a rare occurrence during the war, a shovel is used to dig the grave of the fallen soldier. So many people died during the war that if every one was buried properly one would break his arm burying them all. Therefore, the shovel used to dig the graves preceeds the broken arm as the title states. The plain, blank background complements the focal point but does not take away from it. The shovel is the only focal point of the painting so Duchamp did not want the background to distract from the point he was trying to make with the shovel.

Duchamp was one of the most prominent artists of the time. Using his influence, he created new ways of looking at objects in a form called Dadaism to awaken the world to the horrors of the war and the time that followed.

Falling Water

Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the most influential and greatest architects in history. His home life was anything but stable as was his career. His early career was successful but not defining. Next, he went through a period of depression and his career greatly suffered because it became hard for him to find work. Finally, Edgar Kaufmann asked Wright to design a weekend house in Bear Run, PA over the waterfall of Bear Run. The family had a favorite picnic spot which became the focal point of the home. Falling Water turned Wright's career around and put him in the spotlight and the best period of his career picked up until his death.

Falling Water was the first success of the new style of architecture created by Frank Lloyd Wright himself; often called Naturalism. He sought to unify architecture and its structures with nature surrounding it and not destroy nature in order to create a structure. Perhaps as a result of the time, he valued preservation and strove to preserve as much as possible. However, he also strove to preserve the feel and style of the area he was working in. He was aware of and not want to take away or damage the mood of a site with his structures. Instead, he wanted to incorporate them and make them part of the site and compliment the area and not take away from it or alter it. His drive for preservation fit in with the time of disillusionment and awareness of the time between wars.

Falling Water is constructed as a fortress and a family oriented home. It represents a fortress because it is secluded and built among the cliffs. Also, it is built out of stone and the entrances are hidden. The cantilevered balconies overlaying each other give the feeling of impenetrability. However, inside the home has been completely designed around the family. The focal point of the living room is a large stone near the hearth. Falling Water is built around this stone; where the Kaufmann family had their picnics with their grandfather who had previously passed away. The ceilings are low and effectively use "the romance of the horizontal." This means that homes built horizontally instead of vertically tend to be more homely, personal and romantic.

Falling Water was designed with awareness of its surroundings and the family that would be living within it. Wright's awareness and new naturalistic style evident in Falling Water was characteristic of the age and continues to marvel us today.

Water Lily Pond: Claude Monet

Claude Monet was one of the most prominent Impressionist painters. Impressionism surfaced in the late nineteenth century after World War One and during the period known as the "Age of Anxiety." Impressionism was a sort of rebellious form because Impressionists were discontent with regular teaching. Impressionists strove to show things realistically and as they really were. They painted things in their correct colors and used small brush strokes to show reflected light. They used traditional and realistic colors and their compositions were more casual than traditional art.

Monet's Water Lily Pond is one of his most famous paintings. It is a good example of Impressionism because it looks like a realistic scene and showcases the techniques and philosophy of the Impressionists. For example, between the water lilies in the pond you can see the reflection of the trees above in a realistic reflection. The lighting and shadows play over the bridge that stretches over the pond. After the war, people saw things as they were because they were disillusioned by the horrors of the war. An entire generation was lost to the war because of deaths, shell-shock and numerous other fates. Even though this painting by Monet is not typical of art during the war it still shows society's opened eyes and awareness of the world around them.

A Changed Society

After World War One, society was shaken to the core. The period following WWI is known as the "Age of Anxiety" because of the disillusionment and the abandonment of previously ruling thoughts of the Enlightenment and nineteenth century revolutions. Many new ideas surfaced; some were frightening. The effects of WWI reverberated through society.

In philosophy, Friedrich Nietzsche developed Existentialism. He looked at the human condition and their existence in a meaningless world. His idea that "God is dead" led to Nihilism, or the rejection of the material world for Utopian thinking. Also, Ludwig Wittgenstein developed logical empiricism which is based on experiences and inductive reasoning. Although these philosophies still believed in progress and reason, they were radical and somewhat disturbing ideas that arose from the ashes of war. People began to question ideas that had been in place for centuries as a psychological result of the war.

Then, psychoanalysis through literature and music developed. Sigmund Freud studied hysteria cases, developed theories on instincts, unconsciousness and the structure of the mind and then developed psychoanalysis. He put patients under hypnosis to recall emotions and such from the unconscious mind and cure mental disorders. In literature, the stream-of-consciousness technique uses internal monologues to explore the human psyche. Virginia Woolf, William Faulkner and James Joyce were the most prominent authors of the technique. In music, the feelings of the time were expressed in different styles and different themes such as a musical study of madness. Famous composers such as Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg represented opposite ends of musical styles. Psychoanalysis became a big part of society because of the traumatic effects of the war.

All aspects of society were dramatically impacted by the war. The rise of new and disturbing ideas came out of the questioning of what was the foundation of society. The roots of society had been uprooted and destroyed and society had been changed forever.

Tensions, Alliances, and War

Prior to World War One, Otto von Bismarck devised a series of alliances in an attempt to keep peace. These alliances drew more and more countries into the war until it was a full-scale war. The effects were devastating. Also, tensions with Germany prior to the war were not addressed and left to boil over. Even if Franz Ferdinand had not been assassinated Germany would still have launched its attack.

This past summer, Russia invaded the small country of Georgia. Tensions in Georgia, especially over joining NATO, aggravated Russia who did not want Georgia to join NATO. Also, Georgia wished to escape Russian aggression by itself after being rejected by NATO. Both sides armed themselves and Georgia being a strong ally of the United States drew us into the argument. Tensions ran similar to the Cold War and could have erupted into another war of superpowers.

This lesson from WWI has the potential to avoid some world conflicts and possibly some wars. Tensions should be dealt with before they go to the brink and turn into conflicts and wars. It also reinforces George Washington's farewell speech warning against entangling alliances.

Paul Nash: We Are Making a New World

Artist Paul Nash survived both world wars and had deeply antiwar views. He enlisted in World War One and was sent to the Western Front. There, he fell into a trench, broke a rib and was marked for home. While recovering in London, though, Nash expanded his front-line sketches and produced a series of drawings about the war. His sketches were well received and he was made an official war artist. He used his seemingly pro-war art to hit hard the horrors of war.

This particular work pictures the sun rising on "No Man's Land." Nash uses a bright background to create a false sense of hope. The sun rose every day during the war and will always rise again the next. However, the war and devastation raged on with no respect for "a new day, anything can happen." The sunrise did not bring relief or hope; it only showed the horrors that were hidden by the darkness and revealed new horrors that occurred overnight.

No Man's Land is also shown as being formed and changed by the war. No Man's Land was most likely nothing like this before. However, the war has taken its toll and is changing the landscape just as much as it changed the world in general. The land mimicked the changing world by showing the upheaval of the old world, the gory of the change and eventually the rebirth of the new. However, the new may not be as good as the old and the scars of war will last forever.

Between the two main elements of his work, Nash reveals his antiwar views and drives home the harsh realities of the war. The sun will always rise no matter what carnage has overtaken the world and the world will always be changed and molded into something else but not without sacrifice, bloodshed and a hard recovery.

No More than a Mask

Although the artist of this piece is unknown, it still reveals the feeling of the World War I period. The piece is in greyscale that represents the absense of identity, life and humanity. It also enduces the sense of horror and hopelessness that the soldiers faced every minute they were at war. The background is empty with the exception of the ghastly weapons the soldiers are holding. Also, jagged lines like barbed wire, lacerations, weapons and running blood cover the soldiers.


The soldiers themselves are a horrifying site. Their uniforms cover every part of them and do not reveal any skin, hair or sign of a human under the uniform. Their helmets create a sense of uniformity and dark simplicity instead of individuality. However, the most important piece of the uniform was the gas mask. The masks play on the idea of skulls with large, blacked-out eye shields that look alien instead of human. The filter part of the mask reinforces the mutant look of the mask. A man's face is the most human, personal and identifying part of him. The masks completely covered this feature and removed the personality from the human. Humanity became the past because there was no way to tell that a human was behind the suit. It was the suit that was trained to kill and wanted to kill. Soldiers killed other suits, not other people. The human was not seen until the suit was removed from the already dead body to serve the needs of those still living. After, there were no burials for the dead because it would be suicide to leave the trenches. The now exposed soldiers decayed as the living were forced to stare at the bodies.


The horrors of war were countless, but this image represents the crime against humanity and dehumanization that occurred during the war. This image only begins to describe what the soldiers had to face every day.
(I apologize for the unknown author and quality of image :\)

Otto Dix: War

Otto Dix volunteered in the German Army during World War I in a machine gun unit. He took part in the Battle of the Somme, the bloodiest battle of the war and one of the longest. He was wounded several times and his unit was transferred to the Eastern front for the remainder of the war. When he returned, he created many artworks that portrayed what he saw and his opinions of the war. This particular piece is part of a triptych painted in 1929-1932.

When soldiers returned home, most if not all of them were shell-shocked if they returned home alive. Some soldiers were shell-shocked to the point of no longer speaking, taking cover at the slightest sound etc. and could not function normally in society again. Serving in the army meant facing the new weaponry every day such as living in the trenches, poison gases and machine guns. WWI was a new kind of war and a bloody one.

In this piece, Dix is conveying the horrors of the war. The soldiers constantly had to wear gas masks shown by the only living man in the painting. The masks had a dark and haunting appearance and erased the faces of the soldiers. The painting is set in a trench that the bottom has been flooded out of causing trench foot. In the background, the barren landscape, probably No Man's Land, is full of artillery holes as well as barren and vast. Bodies piled up and decayed where they fell because leaving the trenches was suicide. The trench is generally covered in filth, slime and is dark and dingy. In the foreground, the dead bodies have numerous bullet holes no doubt from machine gun fire or "Big Bertha's" pellets and shrapnel. Barbed wire is entangled among body parts.

The skeleton impaled on the metal arch takes the center of the shot as the focal point. The skeleton is the most decayed of the bodies in the painting and is looking down on the trench. Representing death, it points to the pile of dead bodies and looks as if it is laughing and mocking those still alive because they will eventually meet the same fate. Also, the skeleton is hanging over the trench as death hangs over the soldiers in the trenches and is a constant reminder that death is in the soldiers' faces.

Dix, like the other soldiers in the war, was mortified and psychologically as well as physically damaged by the war. A generation was lost to the war not only because of casualties and death but also from the psychological impact apparent in Dix's artwork.

MAIN Peace Agreement

Pre-World War I, the acronym, MAIN, stands for what history has proven to be the four "main" reasons for the outbreak of wars: militarism, alliances, imperialism and nationalism. First, the militarization of Germany created problems before the war. Bismarck's series of alliances kept peace for a short time but eventually fueled the world further into the war. Imperialism in other countries such as Africa and specifically in the Balkans lead to disputes over territory between the larger countries. Finally, nationalism and the thought "my country, right or wrong" fueled the war and turned World War I into a total war.

Post-WWI, the peace agreement had to be settled. President Woodrow Wilson met with other world leaders to negotiate peace. Wilson's plan for peace, the Fourteen Points, addressed all parts of MAIN and would create a peace that had a decent chance to last. However, other world leaders such as Clemenceau of France and Lloyd George of Britain wanted Germany to be punished for the war and not negotiated with. As a result, a fair peace treaty was out of grasp. Germany was blamed for the war and made to pay reparations and accept harsh terms.
Wilson's Fourteen Points would have been one of the most effective peace agreements if all were passed. Intentional or not, it addressed all of the problems that caused the war in the first place. Only two of his Fourteen Points were accepted and the League of Nations was created. However, Germany was not allowed to be a part. Once Wilson returned to the US, the Senate turned down the invitation to join Wilson's League. The Treaty of Versailles included or caused MAIN to resurface/continue after WWI and would lead to another world war.

MAIN is the cause and also the answer to war. MAIN causes wars between countries but when considered can also end them.

The Face of War

World War I introduced new technology to warfare. For example, trench warfare became the main battle strategy on the Western Front. Both sides dug in with trenches and battled for position instead of movement. Also, machine guns had one hundred times the firepower of regular firearms. Poison gases were first introduced by the Germans such as chlorine, phosgene and mustard gas were used to infiltrate enemy trenches and poison enemy troops. Other new weapons included tanks, airplanes and submarines that played major parts in the war.

In addition to new weapons, the home front changed dramatically as well. Total war required that all aspects of the home front be guided toward the war effort. Industries converted to manufacturing war materials and labor unions emerged. As men were drafted women took their places in the factories and other various jobs thus changing the role of women forever. Shifting social climates led to shifts in political climates such as in Russia and the Balkans. These shifts contributed to war tensions if it did already start it.

WWI was a new type of war that shook the world. New technology shaped a new type of warfare that shaped a new social and political climate and in turn a new world. The changes brought on by the war changed the face of every aspect of life. Women gained a new place and role in society at home as politics abroad focused on a new idea of self-determination and a League of Nations to keep peace. War, politics and society had a new face; however it was bloodied and was not satisfied with the world and would lead to another war.