Why do leaders go to war when it could damage their own people too?

Why do people start wars even though it hurts their country too – and they might lose?

Grace, 9, Belfast

Before governments, countries and writing, there was war. People have always fought with each other. Archaeologists have discovered skeletons with weapon injuries that are over 10,000 years old.

Wars are very serious because they hurt people and the environment. They happen for many different reasons, and each war is different. People who start wars often think that…

© La Conversation - mardi 3 mars 2026