Peace Treaties

Throughout history, there have been many famous Peace Treaties. There have also been many lesser known Peace Treaties that went unheralded. But it seems that all Peace Treaties come and go. some Peace Treaties last for many years and some Peace Treaties last for only a matter of hours. Peace Treaties are meant to signal an end to hostilities and a chance for all parties to move forward in Peace. But some Peace Treaties are unworkable. If the victor in a conflict is too harsh in the terms of the Peace Treaties negotiated, then it probably won't be long before hostilities begin anew. But if the victor is magnanimous in their treatment of the vanquished in the setting the terms of the Peace Treaties, they agree to, then a more lasting peace that may be at hand.

Often, thought, Peace Treaties are just exercises in cynicism. Neither party to the Peace Treaties have any intention of abiding by the terms of the Peace Treaties. Often they negotiate these Peace Treaties strictly for public consumption. Or they negotiate these Peace Treaties to buy time so they can regroup their forces and perhaps gain some tactical advantage over their rival. These Peace Treaties rarely last very long. Often before the ink is even dry on the Peace Treaties, the hostilities have resumed.

Peace Treaties are a mercurial thing. Peace and hope seem to be within the grasp of one party to these Peace Treaties, only for them to find out that the other party to these Peace Treaties has no real intention of creating a lasting peace. So often throughout history, governments have engaged in this type of behavior when negotiating Peace Treaties with indigenous populations. History has demonstrated again and again how worthless these Peace Treaties were. When dealing with essentially powerless people who are occupying valuable land, governments have evidenced no compunction about signing Peace Treaties and then turning right around and breaking them.

And, of course the terms of these Peace Treaties which were never favorable to the native peoples ere always up for re-negotiation by the winning side. Peace Treaties that ceded vast tracts of land, which once all belonged to the vanquished people, were over time, amended again and again. These Peace Treaties were whittled away year by year until what was left didn't even resemble the original Peace Treaties. Peace Treaties have come and Peace Treaties have gone. War and aggression are still with us so Peace Treaties will still be with us although often, Peace Treaties are not worth the paper they have been written on.

< Back To Peace Next Previous