After reading through the first reading assignment I couldn’t help but get stuck on the idea that while war is terrible and every side loses something, there seemed to be long lasting effects of the countries that prevailed. Historically, first world countries, those aligned with the US, UK, France, and other non-communist victors (as described in the reading assignment) were in part defined as well by being part of the rich and free world. This seemed to carry forward through the ages and, if I’m not mistaken, the majority of them have prospered on while leaving the second world countries in the dust and those who decided not to participate at all in the third world countries category (where they were before and have stayed). It seems to suggest that while losing a war is bad for your economy, not participating at all is the worst thing you can do.