Gen. Douglas MacArthur's farewell address to Congress cites the "utter destructiveness of war"

SOT Gen. Douglas MacArthur as he addresses a joint session of the US Congress: " ... I have long advocated [war's] complete abolition, as its very destructiveness on both friend and foe has rendered it useless as a means of settling international disputes" (applause); [quotes a warning he issued after Japanese surrender on the USS Missouri]; "Men since the beginning of time have sought peace. Various methods through the ages have been attempted to devise an international process to prevent or settle disputes between nations. From the very start workable methods were found in so far as individual citizens were concerned, but the mechanics of an instrumentality of larger international scope have never been successful. Military alliances, balances of power, Leagues of Nations, all in turn failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. The utter destructiveness of war now blocks out this alternative. We have had our last chance. If we will not devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door. The problem basically is theological and involves a spiritual recrudescence and improvement of human character that will synchronize with our almost matchless advances in science, art, literature, and all material and cultural developments of the past 2000 years. It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh. (applause) But once war is forced upon us, there is no other alternative than to apply every available means to bring it to a swift end. War's very object is victory, not prolonged indecision." (applause)