War can affect people in many ways. War may split families or keep them apart. When a soldier goes to a war zone, the family is no longer together. There is the possibility of death or serious injury. These injuries could be life-long, debilitating injuries. In the Civil War, family members took different sides in the war. Some family members fought each other because they were on different sides.
War can lead to a limitation of our freedoms. The Sedition Act in World War I made critical comments about the government or the war effort illegal. The Espionage Act allowed for anti-war activities to be punished. In World War II people were limited in the amount of certain items they can get each month. This system, called rationing, limited how much beef, gasoline, and sugar people could buy each month.
During a war, the government will increase its role in the economy. The government may decide what will be produced, how many will be produced, and who will produce the items. In World War I, the War Industries Board determined what war materials would be made. In World War II, the War Labor Board mediated labor disputes.
People have to make sacrifices during a war. People who might otherwise not be working may have to go to work in the war industries to make sure the military has enough supplies. The people may be strongly encouraged to loan the government money by purchasing war bonds. They may not be able to buy items that they want to buy, but don’t necessarily need to buy.
If a war is unpopular, such as the Vietnam War, it can lead to mass protests and open defiance of government policies. In the Vietnam War, some people refused to serve in the army. There were many protests against the war across the country, especially on college campuses. Violent actions occurred such as the shootings at Kent State University.
When a country goes to war, the people of that country are affected by the conflict in many ways. Sometimes, it can take decades to undo the effects of a war.
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