Which continent has seen the most war?

[Count of Montesano]

To continue the thread that has been posted that almost every part of the globe has seen conflict, I thought it might be interesting to discuss which region has seen either

A. the most wars
B. the most brutal/bloody conflicts

For example, you can argue North America has seen the most brutal wars - from the bloodletting of the Civil War to the genocide of the Indian wars to the violent Mexican and Latin American revolutions- even if the continent hasn't obviously experienced the sheer number of conflicts as, say, Europe. Of course, you can say Europe simply for the sheer number of wars dating back to the earliest Greek states.

A few ground rules:


1. No race baiting here. Feel free to talk about white colonialism for example, but don't say whites are the most vicious people who have ever lived and have created most of the conflict around the world. Same goes for making Africans out to be psychotic machete wielding rebels, all Hispanics out to be narco-terrorists, etc. It is allright to discuss how one culture from one continent caused widespread destruction to another - mongols in Europe, Europeans in Africa and the Americas, African Carthiginians in Italy, etc.

2. Just to make things interesting, I'm going to say the Middle East, with the exception of Turkey, is considered part of Asia. Most of Russia should be considered part of Europe, unless you're talking about the far eastern part of the old empire or Soviet state, ie the Russo-Japanese war. Latin America will count as South America.

I also want to keep posts to recognizable conflicts that we have some historical/archaeological evidence for. No discussions about Atlantis or the great war between Roman legions and the American Navajo (some people believe in this by the way).

[visigothe]

im gonna say asia, considering you had the middle east empires, china, korea and the mongols

altho this is only an educated guess to get the reall answer you would have to do a lot of research because im sure europe is very close

[Augustine]

Asia, but only because it's the biggest.

Pretty much every continnent has seen proportionally the same amount, aside from 20th century Europe.

Africa and the pre-colonization Americas saw just as much war as anywhere else, it's just not as well documented. The societies that we know of as being the most warlike and brutal are generally those who kept the best records. (Espessialy the Romans, who were fanatical beaurocrats, copying every single thing down in triplicate.)

[Da Skinna]

I say Africa, they had civilizations we barely know of, and their years of contact with Europe and the colonial times add up as well. And they seem to be cathcing up pretty quick in recent times. So I say Africa, but Asia should be divided a bit, its the largest land mass, has a lot of people, so most likely it would see the most bloodshed.

[Rapax]

I would say that europe, in its long history, has seen the most of war and with that also the most brutal and bloody conflicts. The number of wars that have taken place in europe are so many that I dare not estimate, but the topping off by the first and second world war might already be enough. Europe may finally have enough of war now.

[Evil Maniac From Mars]

I voted Europe, but on a more serious note, it has to be Antarctica. I mean, all the pengiuns fighting massive battles with their icicles and all :w00t *tongue* :cool :lol *wink* .

[Lee1026]

Asia and Europe of course are the closest contenders. Asia is a never really peaceful. India and China are almost always in a civil wars. and those wars can be much larger then their roman and greek counterparts, and thus more bloody since there are just more people involved. Add a few people with genocidal thoughts like Genghis Khan and blood start flow quck, really quick. And the middle east (which is part of asia) have seen some heavy fighting it self because of religious reasons..

Europe is a contender because they too are at war all the time. Although the wars didn't involve in as much people but never stopping wars do take it's toll. (the 100 years war comes to mind) and it is also the place where the 2 wars with the most amount of bloodshed took place. And the fact that it took place in the modern world means that the numbers involved is just unimaginable to the ancient world.

I don't think the rest can compare at all to those two war harkish contients.

[Adrian Laguna]

Actually most of Turkey is part of Asia, the only part of the country that is in Europe is a small area west of the Bosphorous.

The contintinent that has seen the most war is probably Asia (I voted Europe on an impulse, but now I've thought better of it). Some have said that Europe's history reaches very far back, Asia's history (since it includes the Middle East) reaches back farther. People were charging war chariots at each other in the ME while the Greeks where still hairy barbarians.

[Ecthelion]

We should have more wars in Antarctica!

It's falling behind in votes so we need to campaign for it. I'm bringing my katana and bow, who's coming with me?

[AlexanderII]

ARE YOU KIDDING? I already have a ragtag army of penguins and polar bears (My own praetorian gaurd) trained! As of now their equipment is so-so...

Now all I need is an economy and ships....-evil plotting-

[Trax]

Pretty much every continnent has seen proportionally the same amount, aside from 20th century Europe.

Well, in some stone age lever tribes 25% of all males die (died) in wars, in 20th century Europe I dont think its more then 1% so we have a strong progress.

[DougyM]

Europe, WW1 WW2 probably WW3 as well....

plus every other war.... napoleon, 100 year war, french revolution, russian cossacks, balkans, Roman times....


the list goes on.

[Cicero2]

Europe most definetly

[Carsomyr]

Originally posted by Cicero2@Apr 9 2005, 04:42 AM
Europe most definetly

Definitely; the population explains it, too.

[Rapax]

Originally posted by Adrian Laguna@Apr 9 2005, 06:25 AM
Some have said that Europe's history reaches very far back, Asia's history (since it includes the Middle East) reaches back farther. People were charging war chariots at each other in the ME while the Greeks where still hairy barbarians.

The thing is just that once europe developed into the homeplace of the most powerful nations, it pretty much never stopped fighting wars. Also in times that saw more effective weapons than chariots.

[Lucius Caecina]

Its clearly mainland europe. The two biggest wars in history were fought there, the longest war, the bloodiest battle, the biggest graveyards. Its because Europe is proportionally small in relation to the amount of cultures.

[general maximus decimus]

Asia, simply because it is bigger and has more people living on it. People have always fought each other, but not all wars have been recorded.

[Rapax]

Originally posted by general maximus decimus@Apr 9 2005, 03:41 PM
Asia, simply because it is bigger and has more people living on it.

Where is the connection to war? Europe is small but densely populated, look what happened over the course of a few hundred years.
Besides, if wars have not been recorded, on what basis are you talking?

[Caius Britannicus]

Well, considering the two largest wars in human history causing the most lost of human life ever were fought in Europe, I'm gonna have to say Europe.

[DougyM]

Originally posted by general maximus decimus@Apr 9 2005, 03:41 PM
Asia, simply because it is bigger and has more people living on it. People have always fought each other, but not all wars have been recorded.

there is no fact in your statement that backs up your claim, more people live in america yet poland has seen more wars.

And if battles havent been recorded then how do you know of them?