Why Do Countries Fight?

Ages 3-5 Simple Explanation

You know how sometimes kids on the playground argue about whose turn it is, or who gets to use the swings? Countries are kind of like really big groups of people, and sometimes they argue too. But their arguments are about really big things, like who gets to live on a piece of land.

Countries fight because their leaders can't agree. Maybe one leader wants something that belongs to another country, like land or water. Or maybe they have really different ideas about what's right and what's wrong. When grownups in charge can't figure out how to share, things can get really bad.

Most people in every country just want to live their lives, go to school, play, and be with their families. They don't want to fight. It's usually the leaders who make the decision to start a fight, and then regular people get caught up in it.

The good news is that most countries get along most of the time. There are special groups of grownups whose whole job is to help countries talk to each other and solve their problems without fighting. They work really hard every day to keep people safe.

Ages 6-8 More Detail

Countries fight for many of the same reasons people do — just on a much, much bigger scale. Think about it: if two kids both want the same toy and neither will share, there's a problem. Countries sometimes both want the same land, the same oil, or the same water, and they can't agree on how to share it.

Sometimes countries fight because one country's leader wants more power. They might try to take over another country and tell those people what to do. That's called an invasion, and countries fight back when that happens because they want to stay free and make their own choices.

Other times, countries fight because they have very different beliefs. They might disagree about religion, or about what kind of government is best. When both sides feel very strongly and won't compromise, that disagreement can turn into a conflict.

There are also times when people inside the same country fight each other. This is called a civil war. It might happen because one group of people is being treated unfairly and they decide to fight for their rights, or because two groups want to lead the country in different directions.

Before countries fight, they usually try to talk it out. They send people called diplomats to have meetings and make deals. Organizations like the United Nations help countries work out their problems. But sometimes talking doesn't work, and that's when conflicts can start.

Ages 9-12 Full Explanation

Countries fight for reasons that are often complicated, but they usually come down to a few big themes: land, resources, power, beliefs, and unfairness. Throughout history, these same causes show up again and again, from ancient empires to conflicts happening right now.

Land and resources are some of the oldest reasons for conflict. If two countries both claim the same territory, or if one country has something valuable like oil, minerals, or fresh water, other countries might try to take it by force. Many wars in the Middle East, for example, have been connected to control over oil-rich regions.

Power is another major reason. Some leaders want to expand their control over other countries. When Nazi Germany invaded its neighbors in World War II, it was about building a massive empire. When a powerful country tries to push around a smaller one, the smaller country — sometimes with help from allies — fights back.

Differences in beliefs and values can also spark conflict. Religious wars have been fought for centuries. Even today, disagreements about how society should be organized — democracy versus dictatorship, for instance — can create tension between nations. When one country tries to force its way of life on another, conflict often follows.

Sometimes the fighting happens within a single country. Civil wars break out when people feel their government is treating them unfairly, when different groups compete for control, or when part of a country wants to break away and become independent. The American Civil War, for example, was fought largely over the issue of slavery.

It's worth knowing that for every conflict that turns into a war, there are many more disagreements that get solved through talking, trade agreements, and international pressure. Countries are more connected today through trade and communication than ever before, which actually makes fighting less common than it was in the past — even if the news makes it seem otherwise.