Bethel College history professor coauthors pacifist look at U.S. history

Article by June Krehbiel, assistant director of News Service, Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas

NORTH NEWTON, KAN.- War dominates United States history books, says Bethel College history professor James Juhnke, who for 30 years has wondered why those same books seldom include stories about peace. His most recent book tells some of those stories.

Written by Juhnke and co-author Carol M. Hunter, the book is “The Missing Peace: The Search for Nonviolent Alternatives in United States History” (Pandora Press and Herald Press, 2001). Hunter is associate professor of history at Earlham College in Richmond, Ind.

“Our challenge was to make the outbreak of peace as interesting as the outbreak of war,” says Juhnke, who has taught at Bethel College in North Newton since 1967 and also teaches U.S. history at Hesston College.

Juhnke explains that most U.S. history surveys the role of violence in achieving freedom. “We are a free country, it is believed, because we won a war of independence. We don’t even think about the countries that have gained independence without war,” he says.

“The big assumption is that we could not have gained independence without a war, that we couldn’t have freed the slaves without a huge civil war, and that we couldn’t have protected democracy in the 20th century without total world war,” he says. Juhnke disagrees with this conventional view. “The Missing Peace” asks a new set of questions about conflicts in U.S. history, according to Juhnke. “Was this war necessary? Who were the peacemakers? Who suggested nonviolent ways to resolve conflicts? When were potential wars avoided?”

The book begins with a chapter on the Native Americans, including an explanation of the Iroquois’ League of Peace, set in place in the 1400s by the leader-prophet Deganawidah. Juhnke and Hunter’s retelling of U.S. history points out documented stories that weave a new pattern into historical remembering.

Written for college freshmen and sophomores, the book is a read for anyone interested in history. The book grew out of Juhnke’s 30-year career in history. He began thinking about the topic when he was in graduate school. A 1962 Bethel College graduate, he completed a doctoral degree in history from Indiana University in 1967.

Juhnke met Hunter on the Bethel campus in 1992 when she attended a Nonviolent America conference, sponsored by Kansas Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution at Bethel College. The authors compiled the book that blends Juhnke’s expertise in political history and Hunter’s studies in social history.

“More and more people are becoming skeptical about the myth of redemptive violence,” says Juhnke. “In a world armed with nuclear weapons, hope for future civilization depends upon people who believe wars can be avoided.” Copies of Juhnke’s book are available at the Bethel College Bookstore in Schultz Student Center on campus and at area bookstores.

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Pandora Press Canada, http://www.pandorapress.com Herald Press, (800) 245-7894, http://www.mph.org

Sidebar: One missing peace story from U. S. history

Retold by James Juhnke

In 1799, John Adams was the second president of the United States at a time when the U.S. almost went to war against France. George Washington had come out of retirement to organize the Army in a war against France. France and England, already at war with each other, were interfering with our ships. We sent over some diplomats to claim our rights, and the French asked for a bribe before even talking with the U.S. diplomats. This was a great insult to American pride.

Adams’ entire cabinet was unanimous in wanting war. He could have gotten a war declaration overwhelmingly from Congress. At the last minute, Adams decided to send another peace delegation to Paris. He had gotten word from some people returning from France that the French foreign minister was willing to listen. Maybe another peace delegation would do some good, Adams thought. A Quaker physician by the name of Logan from Pennsylvania was a member of the delegation. The peace delegation’s work was immensely unpopular, but the members of the delegation worked with the French to come to an agreement, and there was no war with France.

In 1803, we acquired the Louisiana Territory from France. This purchase would not have been possible had we gone to war in 1800. President Adams’ decision for peace was a momentous peace event, but because it didn’t produce any dead people, any war heroes, we don’t know about it. Before John Adams died, he said he didn’t want anything else on his gravestone, but “Here lies John Adams, who took upon himself the responsibility of the peace with France in the year 1800.”

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June Krehbiel Assistant Director of News Service Bethel College 300 E. 27th St. North Newton KS 67117 (316) 284-5247