It may be shocking to some it was during World War 2. Congress has only declared war in 5 major conflicts. It’s getting kind of close to a century, which begs the question – Will Congress declare war ever again?
The Numbers of American Declarations of War
After the American Revolution, about every generation has had it’s war declaration until World War 2. Here are the gaps of years between declarations of war:
- 30 years from the Revolutionary War to the war with Great Britain in 1812 (ended 1815)
- 31 years until the war with Mexico in 1846 (ended 1848)
- 50 years until the war with Spain in 1898 (ended 1898)
- 29 years until American entrance to World War 1 in 1917 (ended 1918)
- 23 years until America World War 2 in 1941 (ended in 1945)
Congress also declared war on Hungary, Bulgaria, and Rumania in 1942. However, notice the absence of a declaration of war from Congress during the Civil War.
The Civil War, in which many states left the Union after Abraham Lincoln became president, has more deaths and casualties than any American war by the hundreds of thousands. Only World War 2 comes close.
Since the end of World War 2, America has been involved in numerous “conflicts”, or rather U.S. military presence without a declaration of war from Congress. However, war is commonly attached to the country in which the U.S. occupied. Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq War, just to name a few.
Sometimes, U.S. troop occupation is called something else, which in the Chicken Hawk mind, doesn’t make it war. For example, President Truman said the troops in Korea was more a “police action.” Even with these war substitution terms, will Congress declare war for them?
But what about Yemen? What about Somolia? Should the U.S. troops and/or support in smaller conflicts around the world have some sort of declaration of war?
Turning around: Back to His Kingship
It’s been 78 years since Congress has declared a war. It possibly could be because declaring a war on an idea might be too hard to comprehend for Congress. It’s much easier to declare a war on Bulgaria than it is to declare a war on terrorism.
Perhaps Congress doesn’t want the responsibility. It’s much easier for one person to make war. Numerous presidents can make as much war as they want if Congress “approves” it, but Congress doesn’t tend much to restrain itself.
Sending the U.S. Military to anywhere in the world is a game to those who aren’t going. Sitting back safely at home while others go kill and die is easy to do. However, the president takes helm of sending troops and gets the glory when they succeed.
Perhaps the president and Congress should consider the killing and dying part when they nonchalantly send people to kill and die. Remember when kings might sometimes lead their armies? Even as late as World War 1, King Albert I was in the front lines with his troops. Would we ever see any president or Chicken Hawks show such bravery?
It’s amazing how people want powerful presidents, but only when the president does what they want them to do.
Will Congress Declare War with A Possible 28th Amendment?
How many Chicken Hawks’ minds would change if they had to do the fighting and dying? Will Congress declare war if they had to go? Of course, Chicken Hawks do not have any legitimate reasons as to why they don’t fight. They’re scared and just expect others to do it for them.
However, would the feelings of a Congressperson or president change if they had to lace up their boots and perform SPORTS on their rifle when it stops operating on the battlefield?
The decision to send people to kill and die would possibly be taken more seriously if the following Amendment was made to the U.S. Constitution:
When taking violent action or occupying a foreign land, any member of Congress or the President of whom supports such action, shall be required to accept personal accountability and be present in the action or occupation.
To be sure, they’d absolutely love being an actual part of drone strikes.
Would they think the people the kill with aircraft weaponry from a safe bunker have families? Would they think about how the people they kill might have been lied or coerced into fighting?
Most likely not, but at least they’d take responsibility. But it may not even come to that if there is even a possibility of having to patrol Route Tampa in Iraq when the unit is down a Stryker because of a maintenance shortage.
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