THE VIOLENT PEACE: A Report on Warn in the Postwar World

Carl Mydans (the well known photojournalist) and his wife (also a journalist; also the novelist--Thomas) have isolated twenty-five of the fifty armed conflicts Which have broken out since the Missouri peace of 1945. Through the words, and pictures, of other correspondents they have implemented their argument that ""defeat in this nuclear age is to lose not only everything that one might fight for, but very nearly everything that man has achieved since he first ascended from the primordial slime."" To illuminate the tragedy--skilled observers reflect variety in circumstances differing widely, yet similarities in suffering and brutality--whether the Civil War in China, the Greek Insurrection, whether in Algiers, Hungary, Cuba, the Congo, Korea, Angola, Vietnam, Israel. The face of war is always the same--so are its roots (fear, ambition, vengeance, hate) and the only alternative to death in our time is peace. A somber comment and intelligent investigation of our dreadful legacy--to which the 100 pages of grouped photographs should provide further impact.