# Declarations of War

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declarations-of-war/795783>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [September 8, 2017, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declarations-of-war/795783 "2017-09-08T05:09:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TMavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@TMavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TMavenger)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declarations-of-war/795783/1 "2017-09-08T05:09:58Z")

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If I’m not mistaken, a requirement for membership in the United Nations is that the nation pledge not to go to war without UN authorization except in the case of an unprovoked attack. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that there have been almost no declarations of war since the advent of the United Nations.

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**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declarations-of-war/795783/2 "2017-09-08T15:19:38Z")

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When someone says “declaration of war” I immediately picture a group of white Europeans wearing top hats, tails, and impressive facial hair shaking their fists, pounding on tables and blustering on about the righteousness of their cause.

The relative dearth of DoW’s since the mid-20th century also coincides with advent of nuclear weapons. That could be a factor as well.

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**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declarations-of-war/795783/3 "2017-09-08T16:38:04Z")

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Any chance we can get a link to the column in question?

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**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declarations-of-war/795783/4 "2017-09-08T19:12:32Z")

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The development of international law has simply changed the diplomatic conventions, if not necessarily the reality of warfare.

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**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declarations-of-war/795783/5 "2017-09-08T19:21:35Z")

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> [@watchwolf49](#):
>
> Any chance we can get a link to the column in question?

Could be this one:

[Why don’t states declare war anymore?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3217/why-don-t-states-declare-war-anymore)

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**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declarations-of-war/795783/6 "2017-09-15T19:34:51Z")

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> [@Cardigan](#):
>
> When someone says “declaration of war” I immediately picture a group of white Europeans wearing top hats, tails, and impressive facial hair shaking their fists, pounding on tables and blustering on about the righteousness of their cause.

And Groucho Marx.

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**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/declarations-of-war/795783/7 "2017-09-16T00:23:29Z")

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> [@TMavenger](#):
>
> If I’m not mistaken, a requirement for membership in the United Nations is that the nation pledge not to go to war without UN authorization except in the case of an unprovoked attack. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that there have been almost no declarations of war since the advent of the United Nations.

Perhaps you haven’t paid attention to recent events? You seem to be under the impression that it’s impossible to go to war without formally declaring war.