Last and First Men · Chapter
The European War and After explained
The chapter reflects on the European War as seen from the distant future of the Last Men, portraying it as a pivotal moment in the early history of the First Men.
What happens
The chapter reflects on the European War as seen from the distant future of the Last Men, portraying it as a pivotal moment in the early history of the First Men. It discusses the ideals of Socrates and Jesus, the conflict between Fate and Life, and the failure of humanity to cope with its own nature, leading to the war and the flawed peace that followed.
Themes in this chapter
Human Nature and Evolution
The chapter explores the limitations of the First Men's primitive nature in coping with the complexity of their environment and the resulting failure.
Suffering and Redemption
The war brought genuine will for peace and a united world, but the fervour lacked guidance and courage, leading to a flawed peace.
The Limits of Knowledge
The ideals of Socrates and Jesus demanded a degree of vitality and coherence of which the First Men were never capable, leading to cynicism and decay.
Characters to notice
- The Last Men
The distant observers who narrate the history of the First Men.
- The First Men
The species that struggled through the European War and its aftermath.
- Socrates
Representative of the ideal of dispassionate intelligence and intellectual integrity.
- Jesus
Representative of the ideal of passionate, self-oblivious love and integrity of will.
- The Germans
One of the antagonists in the European War, noted for their government's brutal gestures.
- The English and French
The other side in the conflict, with the English and French representing the Latin-France and Nordic Germany rivalry.
Key passages
“The European War, called at the time the War to End War, was the first and least destructive of those world conflicts which display so tragically the incompetence of the First Men to control their own nature.”
The European War, ironically named the War to End War, was the first and mildest of the conflicts that revealed the First Men's inability to govern their own instincts.
Highlights the irony and the tragic incompetence of humanity.
“The peace which followed the European War is one of the most significant moments of ancient history; for it epitomizes both the dawning vision and the incurable blindness, both the impulse toward a higher loyalty and the compulsive tribalism of a race which was, after all, but superficially human.”
The post-war peace was a crucial turning point, showing both the emerging hope for unity and the deep-seated tribalism that made true humanity impossible.
Summarizes the dual nature of the peace and the fundamental flaw of the First Men.