Peace Movements

Peace activism and peace movements have played a vital role in the nation’s history. The problem is that their contributions to social reform have barely been chronicled in history texts. Yet the American peace movement has occupied a major part of our reform tradition. People have been drawn to peace activism for a variety of reasons. There are those who subscribe to various pacifist ethics, religious or otherwise, or the belief that peace is based on continuing human relationships. Many—not pacifists— have limited their commitment to specific antiwar actions, opposing U.S. involvement in various wars [Page 1061]for a number of reasons. A large number have supported the crusade for internationalism, urging the creation of world bodies designed to mediate disputes among nations. Finally, there are ...