Cruelty in times of war Essay - 1228 Words

It is a well-documented fact that war can bring out the worst in people, especially in regards to racism. The Yugoslav wars that took place from 1991 to 1995 exemplify this fact. During the Yugoslav wars the Serbs attempted to create an independent united nation and in order to do so endeavored to eliminate the Bosnia Muslims. â€Å"Often described as Europes deadliest conflicts since World War II, the conflicts have become infamous for the war crimes involved, including mass ethnic cleansing† (Wikipedia contributors). The horrors committed during the war in Yugoslavia, by ordinary citizens can best be understood when one looks at the war, and war in general, from a sociological perspective. There is no denying war enables cruelty, such as†¦show more content†¦Micro-social events are strongly influenced by larger macro-social events. During the war in Yugoslavia people who were once friends turned on those who were Muslim. In Kenan’s story he explains how his k arate trainer betrayed him and his family by becoming a member of the secret police and eradicating his apartment of Muslims. Another neighbor, Petra, also abused the family during the war. She blackmailed the family for their possessions by threatening to turn them in to the government. Ironically, however, her husband who worked in a concentration camp was kind to Kenan, who explains, â€Å"Obren brought me canned beans and plum jam. He remembered the time my father stood up for him during a tenants’ meeting just before the fighting began† (Trebincevic). Clearly, while the social event of war destroy some relationships by making people see their own friends as enemies or neighbors as targets to be abused it does not affect everyone equally. Occasionally, tragic events can bring out kindness in people, such as Obren, who remembered Kenan’s family as friends and not simply as Muslims. 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