What Has WW2 Taught Us?

This month marks the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. What lessons can we take away from World War 2?

World War II has taught many people different things.

Some learnt about the willpower of humans and what it means when one’s homeland is invaded.

Others discovered humanity’s limitations, such as whether one can push their moral boundaries to serve their country despite the pressure of their own values.

Personally, the lesson I take away from that historical event is that you – or a nation - can still wear your scars proudly and learn to shake your enemy’s hand.

There is no winning side in war. Both sides lose countless people on the battlefield and in the communities. Whilst the history books are written from the winner’s perspective there are always two sides to tell, not to mention countless other stories that are never relayed. But we can’t let the actions of our predecessors hold us back from being a country that prides itself on acceptance of other cultures.

Just because our troops fought against another nation’s doesn’t mean we should abandon all hope of a future alliance with that country. Australia has both a proud and sad history in the small time since Federation. We have participated, directly and indirectly, in several major wars, with World War II being one of the biggest of them all. Yet in the 70 years since the war-ending atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, what have we really learnt?

Many people today refuse to acknowledge the atrocities that were committed during those dark days. Instead, we should show compassion to those who are injured in wars, we should take pride in the spirit raised to join together in union and we should remember those who died for our future.

We will never forget the blood that was shed but we can learn from it. We can try to build a new foundation for society that isn’t built on wars and treachery. It might not be a perfect world but it is one that we should dream for; one we should aim for.

Our scars from World War II still hang over us like storm clouds but when the sun comes out to shine, for a moment we can forget the pain and share a smile with our new allies.

Congratulations to Jade for winning this writing challenge, answering: What Has WW2 Taught Us? Jade wins a $50 Westfield gift card for her submission. For your chance to win, check out our latest writing challenges in our Comps section. Also, be sure to follow this guide on how to win the writing challenge!