Why We Fight

Why We Fight, directed by Eugene Jarecki, is a powerful 2005 documentary that examines the history of American military involvement in conflicts around the world. The film takes its title from a series of propaganda films produced by the US government during World War II to explain the reasons for American involvement in the war. Using archival footage, interviews with scholars, politicians, military personnel, and other experts, the film explores the complex factors that have shaped US foreign policy and led to the country's ongoing military engagements.

The film presents a nuanced and multi-layered analysis of American militarism, showing how it has been shaped by economic interests, political ideology, geopolitical strategy, and a deep-seated belief in American exceptionalism. By examining the history of US military interventions, including the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and the wars in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, the film shows how these factors have interacted to create a political culture in which war is seen as a necessary tool of American foreign policy.

One of the key themes of the film is the role of the military-industrial complex in shaping American policy. The film explores the close relationships between politicians, defense contractors, and the military, and how these relationships have led to the prioritization of military spending and the pursuit of new wars. Through interviews with military personnel, contractors, and scholars, the film shows how the arms industry has become a major driver of US foreign policy, and how the interests of the military-industrial complex have come to shape the decisions of policymakers.

The film also explores the power of ideology in shaping American military policy. From the early years of the Republic, American political culture has been infused with the idea of American exceptionalism, the belief that the United States has a special role to play in the world. The film shows how this idea has been used to justify military interventions around the world, and how it has been used to convince the American public to support wars even when they are not in their best interests.

Throughout the film, the voices of military personnel, policymakers, and scholars provide a balance to the archival footage and historical analysis. The film includes interviews with a diverse group of people, including former Secretary of State John Kerry, Senator John McCain, historian Gore Vidal, and former Pentagon official Ken Adelman. These interviews provide a human face to the complex political and economic forces that have shaped American military policy.

Why We Fight paints a complex and nuanced picture of American militarism, one that goes beyond simplistic narratives of good vs. evil or heroic sacrifice. Through its careful analysis of history and current events, the film offers a sobering look at the costs and consequences of America's wars, and asks important questions about the role of violence in shaping politics and society. Whether one agrees with the film's arguments or not, it is impossible to watch Why We Fight without being moved by its commitment to uncovering the truth about America's wars and its unflinching critique of the forces that sustain them.