阿诺德·J·汤因比论二战的影响与启示

Arnold J. Toynbee on the Impact and Implications of the Second World War

英国著名历史学家阿诺德·J·汤因比在二战期间先后作为英国国外研究与新闻服务社和英国外交部研究司主任,领导一批知名国际问题专家,梳理重大国际问题,为英国政府制定战时外交政策、提出符合英国国家利益的战后世界秩序构想,发挥了不容忽视的作用。汤因比宽广的世界历史视野及其在二战期间的独特经历使他对二战的影响与启示有独到的见解。汤因比强调二战的最大影响是使世界格局发生了巨大变化,具体表现为西欧衰落,而西欧以外的地区正在崛起。残酷的二战也孕育了持久和平的种子。他认为战后人类应汲取二战的教训,重视大国合作以确保集体安全体系有效运作;发展经济与社会事业以消除战争的社会根源;发挥高级宗教的作用以消除人类冲突的精神根源。

The prominent British historian Arnold J. Toynbee served as Director of Foreign Research and Press Service（ 1939- 1943） and later as Director of the Research Department of the Foreign Office of the UK（ 1943- 1946） during the Second World War. He led a number of eminent experts on international affairs to provide in-depth analysis on wartime international affairs and to plan post-war world order. Toynbee＇s sound grasp of world history and unique wartime experience enabled him to have an insightful understanding of the impact and implications of the Second World War. Toynbee contended that the most conspicuous influence of the Second World War was the transformation of world order as manifested in the decline of Western Europe and the rise of the rest of the world. He also stressed that seeds of perpetual peace were embedded in the Second World War. Drawing on the lessons learned from the Second World War, Toynbee suggested that cooperation of great powers in the collective security system, development of world economic and social affairs and promotion of higher religions were essential for achieving perpetual peace.