Highly unpopular during World War I, the Christian Pacifist movement nonetheless survived and was more readily embraced when the War’s terrible toll was realized. In World War II and the Korean War, many pacifists went to battle in non-combat roles, like medics; actions that earned them grudging respect.
Impact: Because of their pioneering peace efforts, Christian pacifists gained great influence in the 1960s and 1970s during the Vietnam War.
While national interests related to territorial rights, centuries-old hatreds, and economic issues caused World War I, Christian leaders typically affirmed their national identities and declared the cause of their country alone to be holy. By the end of the war, however, many churches lay in ruins, and with over ten million people killed a spiritual malaise hung over Europe.
Impact: Into this spiritual vacuum such secular philosophies as atheism, Marxism, and fascism gained prominence.