Destructive War Research Articles

Historical earthquakes in the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland, true or false? Unveiling insights through archaeoseismology

The Holy Cross Mountains are an intraplate range with a limited historical seismicity record. The only documented earthquakes include the February 6, 1837 M 4.3 event, which caused ground cracks, and swarm events from February 1932 (M ∼ 3.5), likely triggered by the Holy Cross Fault (HCF) or sub-perpendicular faults. The apparent lack of older destructive earthquakes in historical catalogs motivated us to conduct archaeoseismological research to improve seismic hazard assessment, risk mitigation, and urban planning strategies, ultimately benefiting local communities. We focused on the 12th-century Collegiate church of Saint Martin in Opatów, located near the Holly Cross Fault (HCF). We report numerous damage features, such as leaning, bulging, and twisted walls, dropped keystones in Romanesque and Gothic portals, strike-slip displacements of these portals, surplus, oversized buttresses, and walled-up portals. While some deformations may result from humid loess instability and war destructions, our data, combined with historical records, suggest two to three seismic events in the past 800 years as a cause. We argue these deformations were co-seismically triggered by either large far-field events, like the 1259 AD earthquake, or local, shallow small-magnitude events significantly amplified by site effects. This indicates potential seismic activity in the Holy Cross Mountains during Medieval times. The absence of historical records does not imply the absence of earthquakes.

EDMUND BLUNDEN’S WAR VERSES: NATURE AS THE UNSEEN VICTIM OF THE GREAT WAR

War leaves a lasting mark not only on the lives of those directly involved but also profoundly impacts the natural environment, an aspect frequently overshadowed by the stark human tragedies. Edmund Blunden, a World War I poet, focuses on the environmental destruction caused by war. This article aims to analyse Blunden’s poems “Preparations for Victory” and “Thiepval Wood,” exploring the resonant themes of desolation and the interconnected destinies of soldiers and nature through his poetic expression. These poems provide a compelling lens to address an often-neglected aspect of warfare: its effect on the natural world. Moving beyond traditional representations where nature is merely a setting for human struggles, Blunden portrays it as a primary victim, subjected to the harsh transformations and destructions of war. Accordingly, this study illuminates how Blunden articulates nature’s suffering and alteration as fundamentally intertwined with human strife, offering a critical voice in understanding the multifaceted impacts of military conflicts.

Acoustic discoveries of the Carinthian Gate theatre (Kärntnertortheater) of Vienna: on the trace of a lost artistical building heritage

Throughout history, many cultural heritage buildings of important value have been lost due to natural disasters as well as human causes (e.g. fire, war destruction, change of use etc.). The needs to build a larger theatre, as occurred in Vienna, addressed the Carinthian Gate theatre to have different room functions, while currently is considered the house of Sacher cake at international level. This paper deals with the discovery of the acoustic response of one of the most important theatres of Vienna. The realization of a 3D model that reproduces the architectural features allows the authors to perform acoustic simulations that reveal the sound environment that would be perceived by the audience during artistic performances at the end of eighteenth century in Vienna. In addition, the simulated results of the main acoustic parameters have been compared with the values of other opera theatres provided with similar dimensions and architectural features, as already studied by the authors. The results indicate an overall acoustic response, as typical of horseshoe shape plan layout theatres with the values of clarity found very close or within the optimal range, the sound strength ranging between 4 and 11 dB, and the reverberation time close to 1.5 s, in line with the criteria of opera theatre based on the room volume of the main hall and finished materials applied to the surfaces of the 3D model.

Towards Prosperity and Peace: The Beginnings of the European Project in the West German Governmental PR Film Der erste Schritt

Films that advertised the rising status of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) as a partner in Western economic and military alliances were an integral item of the Adenauer administration’s PR arsenal. Produced through the state-funded newsreel system Deutsche Wochenschau under the direction of the Federal Press Office, these films provided an effective way to reach out to the electorate and explain and highlight the successes of democracy in a post-fascist country. PR films also emphasized the FRG’s role as an integral partner in the emerging European project. This article examines Der erste Schritt: Die Geschichte eines Briefes, a 1951 film advertising the Schuman Declaration as the necessary “first step” to overcome the socio-economic devastation of postwar Europe. The film reveals its producers’ agenda to manipulate the collective memory of the war-ridden Franco-German Erbfeindschaft and replace memories of animosities with images of pragmatic cooperation. Through a focus on the First World War as a tragic, but heroically fought confrontation between the nations, the film helps its audiences bridge the more recent and more conflicted Second World War past. The film’s narrative argues for a unified Europe by vividly describing its absence vis-à-vis the post-Second World War destruction in central Europe, and by drawing favourable comparisons with the large, unified economic territory of the United States. Compared to later PR films that accompanied Konrad Adenauer’s and Charles de Gaulle’s policy of reconciliation in the early sixties, Der erste Schritt in 1951 does not try to manufacture an image of friendship between the two countries. Instead, through the sentimental frame narrative of a letter by a young French woman to a West German politician, the film’s narrative insists that only economic cooperation, the abolition of inner-European borders, and the sharing of resources can lay the foundation for lasting peace and prosperity in a war-torn Europe. The article closes with an overview on how the film was used in PR deployments that advertised the European project. In sum, Der erste Schritt provides an important perspective on the Adenauer administration’s early imaginations of Europe, and how these images were put to work to further the FRG’s still ongoing process of consolidation during its founding years.

International Law Challenges for Underwater Cultural Heritage Protection in the South China Sea

The South China Sea is rich in underwater cultural heritage (UCH), which is suffering serious damage owing to illegal salvage by treasure hunters and unregulated excavation by commercial companies. Differences in the domestic laws of the littoral countries in the South China sea, in development policies, as well as the destruction of World War II shipwrecks are challenges to the protection of the UCH in the South China Sea. In order to ensure the proper protection of the UCH in the South China Sea, this study assesses the feasibility of three mainstream options, namely, accession to the Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (CPUCH) by the littoral states of the South China Sea, the establishment of a regional bilateral or multilateral agreement, and the establishment of a Marine Protected Area (MPA).

Innovatory Kharkiv Mass Housing Estates in Urban Planning of the 1960s-1980s

The destructions of the Russo-Ukrainian war are leading to a rapid loss of cultural heritage in Ukraine, including contemporary 20th century monuments in Kharkiv, the cradle of Ukrainian modernism. At the greatest risk are the sites, which were complex and not well understood heritage before the war - mass housing estates of 1960s-1980s. In view of the postwar reconstruction, there is a great need to analyze mass housing estates in Kharkiv as potential objects of preservation. The purpose of this article is to reveal the architectural and historical value of the first Kharkiv mass housing estates in terms of their innovation, which might be the basis for further preservation steps. The article focuses on the three earliest areas of mass housing estates of the city - Pavlovo Pole, Novi Budynky and Saltovsky mass housing, which were designed and built during the period of the transition to rapid and large-scale pre-fabricated industry in the late 1950s - early 1960s. It is namely during the design and construction of these estates that innovatory technologies and approaches were developed and tested, which were later used in the construction of new housing estates both in Kharkiv and in other cities of Ukraine. These innovations included the system of microdistricts, the staggered system of services for the population, and the method of focusing in urban planning. The creation of a number of standard series of pioneering residential buildings for mass industrial development by the “Kharkovproject” and “Ukrmistostroyproject” design institutes. The study is based on the reconstruction of the historical chronology of design work of 1960’s - 1980’s in the history of Ukrainian city planning; a comparative analysis of the first-erected housing estates, and the definition of the unique solutions of Kharkiv city planners that were implemented in the development of the first housing estates in Kharkiv.

Economic and technological modernization and transformation of Russia in the context of a new reality

Purpose: through the prism of new knowledge generated by the author, to explore possible ways of modernization and transformation of Russia in the conditions of the new reality: conducting the special military operation, the sharp confrontation with the collective West, the series of sanctions and counter-sanctions, the new economic course – supply-side economics, the Concept of technological development until 2030 and development of neural network artifi cial intelligence. The article is a natural continuation and an integral part of the research conducted by the author over several decades and dedicated to finding ways to a future without crises and destructive wars for Russia and the global world. Methods: the article uses a complex of general scientifi c methods, including analysis, generalization, comparison, etc. The research is based on the results of the author’s previous works and is relies on the methodological tools formed in them – new knowledge, a new scientific paradigm (NSP). Results: the author analyzed the state of Russia in the context of the need to gain economic and technological sovereignty. It is shown that there remains a lack of eff ective ways out of the deepest crisis and understanding the future in economic, scientifi c and technological aspects. Analysis of Russian and foreign publications through the prism of new knowledge made it possible to once again prove that the future of the world does not lie in the development of artifi cial intelligence, but in the transition to a new development paradigm (NDP) and comprehensive human development in a new model of life. Conclusions and Relevance: the conclusions of the author’s previous research on the need to transition to a new development paradigm were confi rmed. New evidence has been obtained that Russia, in the conditions of the new reality that began in February 2022, has become even closer to switching to NDP, the meaning and goal of which is the person himself, within the framework of which his highest need is satisfi ed – to become perfect in the physical, intellectually and spiritually.

Biden's Strategic Competition Approach Towards China

Purpose- This paper aims to analysis and explore the causes of Biden's preference for the strategic competition approach to address China's threat. 
 
 Design/methodology/approach- The paper relies on the offensive realism theory as the most relevant theory to examine the US polies and approaches towards China, or US-Sino strategic competition. In particular, the theory is suited to explore Biden's preference for the strategic competition approach, and not the hostile approach. As the theory contends that the great powers are rational actors do not engage in destructive wars if the balance of power is not in their favor.
 
 Findings- Since 2008 U.S perceives China as a most serious threat to its global hegemony. Obama and Trump's administrations have prioritized the strategic competition approach towards China, which aims at containing China's power smoothly without sliding competition to the level of severe hostility. Biden maintained this approach and also, reinforced it to avoid as much as possible major hostility with China. Through, for instance, rallying alliances and multilateralism. Based on that, the study suggests the U.S will prioritize this approach unless China upsets the existing balance by annexing Taiwan or taking full control of the South China Sea. 
 
 Originality/value -The significance of the paper emanates from providing an in-depth analysis and explanation of the cause of the conflict or the cold war between China and the United States, and the main policies and approaches that the United States adopt to deal with China.

A new innovative method to measure the cost of war: future with fewer conflicts via harm reduction approaches

BackgroundThe destruction of World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII) changed the world forever. In this analysis, the economic costs of WWI and WWII are considered via a harm reduction approach to highlight the cost of war via the mortality of military personnel. The harm reduction philosophy and homeostasis of a biological cell are utilized as a pragmatic approach and analogy to give a greater context to the findings, despite the omission of civilian casualties and military disabilities.MethodsTangible (e.g., loss of wages, productivity, and contributions) and intangible (e.g., quality of life) costs are estimated based on the value of each military personnel derived from secondary data and a mathematical model. This is the first study to estimate the cost of war based on soldier’s mortality during the first and second World War.ResultsBased on the tangible value, the WWI and WWII cost for the military personnel was US$43.204 billion ($13 billion ≤ α ≤ $97 billion) and US$540.112 billion ($44 billion ≤ α ≤ $1 trillion). When the intangible cost is considered, it is estimated that the WWI cost was beyond US$124 trillion ($43 trillion ≤ β ≤ $160 trillion), and the WWII cost was above US$328 trillion ($115 trillion ≤ β ≤ $424 trillion). The sensitivity analyses conducted for WWI and WWII demonstrate different ranges based on tangible and intangible values.ConclusionsIn the current climate of increasing hostilities, inequalities, global warming, and an ever-changing world, economic prosperities are directly linked to peace, stability, and security. Therefore, any future decisions for military conflicts need to increasingly consider harm reduction approaches by considering the cost of life and potential disabilities for each nations’ soldiers, sailors, and pilots.

Echoes of War: Exploring War poets and their Continued Resonance

War poetry offers a very deep and personal perspective on the cruelty and destruction of war. Despite technological advancements in modern warfare since the World Wars, the fundamental miseries of armed conflict still exist. This essay examines the relevance of classic war poets like Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, and Rupert Brooke in the modern context post WW I. Their evocative and authentic portrayal of life and death in the trenches and battlefields of WW I emphasize the necessity of peace and offer long lasting insights into the real consequences of conflict. Even though the vivid experiences of these poets were chronicled decades ago, their writings are still very relevant even today.

Project Udbhav: Integrating Ancient Wisdom with Modern Indian Military Pedagogy

Throughout history, humanity has seen many destructive wars, especially in India. Early wars in India were fought by the people of the Indus Valley civilization, who were skilled in building forts for defense. Hindu civilization had a rich knowledge of warfare, military strategies, and martial arts. Ancient political thinkers considered War as an extension of politics, a fallout of interstate relations. Strategies were both offensive and defensive. The ancient Indian thinkers instated war as a means of increasing royal glory and outright conquest. The battles depicted in the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata provide valuable information about the warfare mechanism of the ancient period. 'Project UDBHAV,' a collaborative effort between the Indian Army and the United Services Institution of India (USI), and the government of India, emphasized the project's significance, aiming to revisit India's ancient military thoughts. The initiative seeks to synthesize ancient knowledge, particularly from texts like Chanakya's Arthashastra and Thirukkural, with modern military practices. Examining historical campaigns, leaders, and examples like the Naval Battle of Saraighat, the paper highlights the enduring relevance of ancient Indian military strategies. The paper will also focus on contemporary military practices addressing modern challenges and the importance of Indian historical strategies in tackling diplomatic complexities.

ТЕОРЕТИЧНЕ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ СТАНУ ЕКОНОМІЧНО АКТИВНОГО НАСЕЛЕННЯ КРАЇНИ

The article examines the essential characteristics of the state of the economically active population and defines its specific characteristics under the conditions of the Russian war in Ukraine. It is shown that the state of the economically active population is not stable, unchanged, which is explained by the presence of certain reasons. Among them, the following are highlighted: 1) a single, original element of the economically active population is a single person with his physiological and age limitations; 2) employment and unemployment are always derived from the degree of business activity in the country's national economy; 3) force majeure circumstances may occur in real life (natural disasters, military actions, etc.). It was noted that now, under the conditions of the war, there is a significant, almost critical excess of the outflow of the able-bodied population over its inflow. Since the definition of the concept of "economically active population" is based on the criterion of work, the work first, on the basis of an abstract-logical approach, defines the characteristic features of the processes of modern labor activity of working people, and then singles out negative changes in the content and nature of work during the destructive war. when workers are subjected to additional, significant physical, psychological and stressful load, the level of danger in labor activity increases. At the same time, emphasis was placed on the fundamentally new, positive trends of uniting workers into united labor teams with unified values and increased responsibility of each, due to the focus of all Ukrainians on achieving victory in the war. Some attention is paid to considering the problem of unemployment during the war, approaches to reducing the gap between the number of officially registered unemployed and the availability of job vacancies. The need to strengthen state regulation of all processes related to the state of the economically active population and intensifying the search for reserves to increase the efficiency of the use of the country's human production potential is substantiated. At the same time, the intensification of the activities of state employment services is of great importance, since they have a more reliable information base on the state of the economically active population at the territorial level.

Images of torment in Iraqi theater publications

The theater is filled with images of torment, and the sentence of torment here is more general and comprehensive than any other expression such as pessimism, sadness and alarm, for example, the torment represents the biggest concern in the Zaidi theater in general, and in the play of martyrs first enter paradise in particular. The idea of the torment inflicted by everyone, the martyr and his mother, without a clear explanation, leads to the idea of general punishment, which seems to some extent acceptable to the mind, especially the feeling of sin, which made both Shahid 1 and Shahid 2 admit that he does not deserve to be a martyr, especially after they were thrown into destructive wars that are useless except for masters with higher interests, Religion has nothing to do with it except an illusion used by politicians to incite war to reap their own fruits. Both martyrs appear to be in a state of permanent crucifixion, criticizing a vague hope to come. Here, Al-Zaidi gets very close to Beckett's theater in the game of thinking about the sin committed, which is the use of the war machine to kill without justification or real purpose. To turn the play into the point of view of its author towards war and the destruction, devastation and illusions it produces, to turn the same point of view into one of the most important forms of torment in the theater of Ali Abdul Nabi Al-Zaidi.

Changes in the properties of Chernozem soils under management and strategic approaches to restore their fertility

ABSTRACT Chernozem soils occupу 65% of Ukraine’s cropland. They are the gold standard of soils thanks to their physical, chemical and biological attributes, the thickness of their topsoil, and their legendary fertility. But these qualities have been degraded under the plough; for instance, the content of organic matter is now only about 20% of what it was in Dokuchaev’s day. The further destruction of war poses a direct threat to food security at home and abroad. Restoring the fertility of the chernozem is a key to achieving a more sustainable agricultural system and adapting to climate change. We present recommendations and sustainable management practices.

Multidisciplinary argument for the decriminalization of drugs

AbstractThis manuscript offers an overview of 11 disciplinary perspectives on the failed and destructive War on Drugs and the salutary prospects from decriminalizing drug use, including History, African American studies, Journalism, Sociology, Political Science, Cost Accounting, Urban Education, Counseling, Psychology, Nursing, and Public Health. This offers a roadmap for counselor social and political advocacy with drug policy and highlights community collaboration opportunities.

Samuel Beckett’s waiting for Godot: A Study of Religious Symbolism, Salvation vs. Damnation

This paper attempts to highlight the several ways to interpret the play's absurdity, which results from how existence is portrayed but nevertheless has a strong religious undertone. Samuel Beckett, an Irish author, also produces plays and poems. James Joyce's writing had an impact on this modernist author. Samuel Beckett's earliest and most wellknown play, Waiting for Godot, is regarded as his greatest achievement. The play's original French version was eventually translated by Samuel Beckett into English. The play is a reaction to the ruthless expansion of capitalism, rabid individualism and the resulting loss of community life, the widespread destruction of the World War, the loss of human insight, and the predicament of the average person following the horrible some world war. The play also examines the dramatic literary changes brought on by post-world war effects, the uncertainty surrounding the existence of God, and the predicament faced by the average person in the wake of the brutal conflict. A noteworthy work of English literature from the twentieth century, the play, subtitled "A Tragicomedy in Two Acts," is a prime example of the threat of the ridiculous. There are several ways to interpret the play's absurdity, which results from how existence is represented but nevertheless has strong religious connotations.

Innovativeness and Business Process Planning of Startups in the Context of Green Energy Transition

The aim of the artice. Taking into account the urgent need of rebuilding the national economy and energy system after the war destruction on the principles of green energy transition, it is extremely important to develop the startup movement in the field of alternative & renewable energy. The active implementation of the principles of an innovation-oriented circular economy requires significant and well-thought-out reforms in both economic relations and technology advancement. In this context, it is important to actively implement the concept of sustainable development, ensure the promotion of environmentally friendly goods and services on the market, and minimize the consumption of traditional fossil fuels, as well as the use of agricultural land for growing fuel crops. Thus, the purpose of the study is to analyze the innovativeness of business processes of national startups in the field of green alternative energy and to substantiate the peculiarities of business planning of environmentally friendly startup projects in the context of the green energy transition (also associated with the concepts of the renewable energy transition and the green deal). Analysis results. The paper explores business processes in the field of green startups, describes in detail the author's Bioenergy-Startup project, and substantiates its Business Model Canvas. The Bioenergy-Startup project has a positive environmental and economic effect and makes it possible to significantly reduce toxicant emissions from vehicle engines and diesel-fueled boiler plants. The project is also aimed at greening the country's economy by reducing the technogenic load on agricultural land through the use of fat-containing production waste, promoting the rational use of natural resources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the emissions of so-called black carbon. Using the Bioenergy-Startup project as an example, the authors proposed a framework for implementing a startup, starting from the creation of the Business Model Canvas and taking into account the levels of technological innovation and risks. In creating this framework, the authors took into account, in particular, the Customer Development and Lean Startup methodologies, the work of domestic scientists, as well as their own experience in the field of innovative entrepreneurship. During the implementation of the Bioenergy-Startup project, one of the main tasks from the marketing point of view was to create and communicate to the target audience significant competitive environmentally friendly advantages that are not only consistent with the concept of sustainable development and a green (circular) economy but also provide an opportunity to save valuable natural resources, promote the decarbonization of industry and transport, prevent climate change on the planet, etc. Conclusions and directions for further research. To accomplish this task, the authors have developed a marketing strategy for promoting the innovative products of the Bioenergy-Startup, as well as a specific algorithm for promoting the startup's innovative products, a schematic representation of which is given in the paper.

Meaning beyond Accuracy: War Damage Map of Cottbus

(War) destruction of a city is not easily representable. Not only is the entirety of urban space hardly ever equally affected but also, within the damaged areas, there are different degrees of ruination. Along with photos and aerial photography, maps are one of the most common means of representing cities’ war destruction. Despite their appearance, however, they are not an objective and impartial representation, but rather a narrative that can be deconstructed and interpreted in various ways. This paper inquires to what extent the Cottbus war damage map is a reliable testimony of the urban disaster, what its limitations are, and what story it tells. For all its precision, it was not made to serve utilitarian purposes, but rather as a mean of commemoration. This draws our attention to the fact that maps should not be only measured by their accuracy, but rather recognized and assessed on their own terms.

The Promise of Participation: European Reconstruction Work in Early Weimar Germany’s Political Culture

Abstract Material reconstruction after the First World War was closely linked to German reparations, yet it is curiously underrepresented in the historiography of the Treaty of Versailles as well as in studies on interwar Germany. In the Weimar Republic, political leaders, economic actors and large parts of the population supported the idea of sending building material and even labourers to neighbouring countries. This far-reaching planning process began before and continued after the signing of the peace treaty, as the Allies remained hesitant but not fully hostile to the German proposals. Material reparation potentially mobilized a wide range of goods and labour, and it was thus particularly prone to expectation, but also to disappointment in a broad segment of the population. Against the backdrop of war destruction and the international peace negotiations in 1919, this article investigates the way in which European reconstruction was discussed formally and informally in Weimar Germany. By focusing on the communicative channels and media that promoted German participation in building work abroad, it discusses how expectations were raised, managed and disappointed at the intersection of foreign and domestic policies. While there had only been minor destruction in German territory between 1914 and 1918, the republic’s political culture proved to be deeply affected by the material reconstruction on the European continent, even though most of the far-reaching plans did not result in building sites on the ground.

Unreliable Narrators or Untimely Archivists? Challenges of Using Digital Platforms for Documenting and Remembering Russia’s War in Ukraine

Abstract: The rise of digital platforms transforms contemporary warfare by enabling new possibilities for monitoring war destruction, identifying human rights violations, and commemorating individual and collective suffering. However, to achieve these aims, it is important to ensure that war-related platform content is archived and preserved. Using Russia’s war in Ukraine as a case study, the article discusses challenges associated with the use of digital archiving for documenting and remembering modern wars and proposes a set of recommendations for preventing the disappearance of digital evidence of mass violence.