War is the old sacrificing the young.
The data for who dies in war and who calls for war paints a stark and consistent picture of sacrifice across the last 120 years. While a single, global average age for fallen soldiers over the entire period is not available, the figures from major conflicts are remarkably consistent and paint a clear picture: the young are often sacrificed on the altar of war. Conversely, the political leaders who make the decisions for war are, on average, several decades older, and generally very wealthy. These older leaders general have interested far divergent from these young men who are called upon to lay down their lives.
Here is a breakdown of the available data on the average age of combatants killed in action. We will look World War 1, World War 2, the Korean War, Vietnam war, and the Iraq War, and the average age of combatants killed.
World War I (1914-1918) Varies by nationality:
• ~29 years old (German soldiers)[1]
• ~27 years old (British soldiers from North-West England)
• ~19 years old (British soldiers overall)[2]
The variation highlights different data sets. The 29-year figure comes from autopsies of German soldiers. The 27-year figure is from a regional British study. The striking 19-year average for British soldiers is also cited, underscoring the immense loss of very young men.
World War II (1939-1945) ~26 years old (U.S. soldiers)
This figure is provided for the average age of the U.S. fighting man, though a precise average for those killed is harder to pinpoint.[3] 2.2 million were between 17 and 20.[4]
Korean War (1950-1953) ~17-24 years old (U.S. soldiers).[5]
Vietnam War (1955-1975) ~22 to 23.11 years old (U.S. soldiers)[6]
An academic study gives an average of 22 years. A detailed analysis of the 58,148 U.S. fatalities puts the average at 23.11 years, also noting that 61% were younger than 21.
Iraq and Afghanistan Wars (2001-2011) ~26 years old (U.S. soldiers)
This more recent average is based on a large sample of 3,832 autopsied U.S. soldiers. The increase from Vietnam reflects the all-volunteer force and the inclusion of older service members in support roles.
The Average Age of Political Leaders
Finding a precise, aggregated average age for all national leaders who initiated wars over the last 120 years is a complex task that would require an extensive database. However, the data that is available strongly supports the conclusion that these leaders are consistently and significantly older than the soldiers they send into battle.
- Examples from World War II: The key figures who started World War II were all in their later years. Adolf Hitler was 50, Benito Mussolini was 56, Joseph Stalin was 60, Winston Churchill was 65 and Franklin D. Roosevelt was nearly 60 when the U.S. entered the war.[7] Average lifespans were a bit lower in those days well, FDR was considered quite advanced in age in his day.
- Modern Context: This trend continues in recent conflicts. Leaders involved in decisions for war in the 21st century are often in their 60s, 70s, and even 80s, an age profile made possible by rising life expectancies. The Ayatollah was 86 when he died. Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump are 76 and 79 respectively[8], so in the upper ages of those who start and call for wars.
- Academic Research: Scholarly studies confirm that the age of a leader is a significant factor in international conflict, with some research suggesting that younger leaders may be more prone to initiating disputes, while others indicate that aggression can be found across age ranges. The key takeaway is that leadership is an arena where age, experience and power are concentrated at the highest levels. But not necessarily wisdom.
A Tale of Two Ages
The contrast between the age of the decision-makers and the age of those sent into battle is stark. George Carlin once said that, “War is rich old men protecting their wealth by sending lower and middle-class men off to die.” Nothing we see happening at the moment proves this to be false. As someone has said, the tragedy of war is, first of all, the tragedy of young men. The data shows that the average soldier killed in America's wars of the last 70 years has consistently been in his early to mid-twenties, with a significant portion being teenagers. Teenagers!!!
It should really be illegal to send a man to war before he has had a chance to start his family, and continue his line. We might find that if we did this then society would be built by people who were far pickier at the kind of wars we go into. The Bible had a similar restraint on who could be sent to war, “When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year to be happy with his wife whom he has taken” (Deut. 24:5). Allowing the wealthy and the powerful to exploit the young so that they can establish or protect their wealth is a terrible evil in this world. How many countries in the West have actually been drawn into war to protect their borders in the last 80 years since World War 2? Virtually all of the wars have been empire wars, far away from their own shores.
This reality is perhaps best summarized by a quote attributed to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a man who led his nation through a global war in his 60s: "War is young men dying and old men talking."
Don’t fall for the propaganda that we must be involved in this war. Don’t let your son’s fall into the trap of being called far away from their home, into a foreign land. Maybe war will come directly to our shores, then we should defend them, of course. But wars to extend the reach of global powers? No. These are wars that are designed to make the poor suffer to enrichen the already very rich. These are evil.
List of References
[8] Ibid.
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