During World War I, the bodies of people who had been victims of German poison gas attacks lay scattered in the woods near Dunce, along the Meuse River in France. War, including the use of poison gas, is a crime against humanity.

 During World War I, the bodies of people killed by German poison gas attacks lay scattered in the woods near Dunce, along the Meuse River in France. War, including the use of poison gas, is a crime against humanity. The Women’s Peace Union (WPU) distributed this leaflet in the 1920s to remind the American public of the human toll of World War I.

This is an anti-war appeal issued by the Women’s Peace Union, a peace movement organization, after World War I; it is a declaration that strongly asserts war is a “crime against humanity.” The text calls on those who understand the horrors of war to take action for peace.

First, it speaks to those who are willing to face the reality of humanity suffering due to war. It specifically recalls that approximately 10 million soldiers lost their lives in World War I, emphasizing the immense sacrifices war has exacted. The appeal was directed at those who had the courage to face this cruel reality, rejecting sentimental views that glorify war as something “glorious.” 

It criticizes the current state of affairs, in which preparations for war continue worldwide despite the fact that eight years have passed since the armistice was signed. It warns that if war were to break out again, many more people would be killed in ways even more brutal than before. It states that new weapons such as “death rays,” “poison gas,” “pathogens,” and “even more terrifying machines” would be used, indiscriminately killing not only men but also women and children, suggesting that future wars could be even more destructive. It further argues that even beloved family members would be unable to escape this destruction.

She asks readers whether we should not do everything in our power to rid the world of war—this “black plague of unnecessary death and suffering.” As a concrete action, she calls on them to send donations to the Women’s Peace Alliance, a peace movement organization.

Finally, the organization’s fundamental philosophy is presented. It is the belief that “violence and bloodshed are always wrong in principle and lead to catastrophic results in practice.” They are working toward the goal of making war illegal through legislation and achieving world peace. This serves as a powerful anti-war message that strongly conveys the horrors of war and encourages participation in social movements for peace.