War Literature Essay Example for Free

War Literature Essay Turkey and Armenia have not had the greatest diplomatic relations in recent years. Therefore, it was somewhat surprising that the leaders all of these two nations sat down to watch a football game between the two countries. To say that this is somewhat bizarre would be a dramatic understatement. In 1915, during the First World War, Turkey was responsible for the genocide of scores of Armenians. Needless to say, the relationship between these two group has been tenuous at best over the years. For some, all of this appears to be a form of political theater. However, there is more to the situation than mere grandstanding. Russias recent aggression has sparked fear in Eastern Europe. So, it is not surprising that Turkey and Armenia might forge an alliance out of mutual distrust of Russia. How long such a shaky alliance lasts is anyones guess. Much of this is ironic considering it occurs in light of the legendary football match between the Germans and the British during World War One. Thomas Hardy chronicles this legend in a short article that also points out the strange irony of how mortal enemies can become friendly rivals when they share a common love. In this case, the love is for the game of football. It would seem that to the soldiers, a love for a cultural sport overrides any serious concerns that are at the center of a declaration of war. Or, perhaps, war becomes boring after a while and both sides need a break. Whatever the reason, it is odd to see enemies converge based on a love for a mere past time. It would be absurd to assume that a love for football can eliminate aggression between nations. However, it does show that aggression and competitiveness can be used for more fruitful pursuits other than direct conflict. Then again, football is a form of conflict with enthusiasm replacing aggression most of the time. While sitting in front of the TV watching teams play make the world a better place? Doubtful; but it is at least worth a try. Bibliography Hardy, Thomas. (Date Unknown) â€Å"A Satire of Circumstance† Retrieved October 13, 2008, from http://net. lib. byu. edu/english/wwi/children/captain_nevill. html Palomaa, Erik. (2008) â€Å"Turkey and Armenia Engage in Football Diplomacy. † Retrieved October 13, 2008, from http://www. worldpoliticsreview. com/Article. aspx? id=2694