Many are interested in how Tolstoy’s attitude toward war was. To understand this is quite simple. You just need to read the novel "War and Peace." In the process, it will become completely clear that Tolstoy hated war. The writer believed that murder is the most heinous of all possible crimes, and it is impossible to justify it.
Cohesion of the people
Not noticeable in the work and enthusiasm for military exploits.
Although there is one exception - a passage about the Battle of Shengraben and the act of Tushin. Depicting World War II, the author admires the unity of the people. People had to unite in order to jointly oppose the enemy.
The people are forced to defend themselves
What did Tolstoy think about the war? Let's get it right. Going through the materials in which the events of 1812 were reflected, the writer realized that, despite all the crime of the war with its many deaths, rivers of blood, dirt, betrayal, sometimes people are forced to fight. Perhaps this people at other times and the fly would not have done harm, but if a jackal pounced on him, he, in defense, would kill him. However, during the murder, he does not feel any pleasure from this and does not think that this act is admirable. The author shows how much the soldiers who were forced to fight the enemy loved their homeland.
Negative characters in the novel
Tolstoy’s attitude to war is, of course, interesting, but even more curious is that he spoke of our enemies. The writer speaks with disdain of the French, who are more concerned about their own "I" than about the nation - they do not differ in special patriotism. And Russian people, according to Tolstoy, are inherent in nobility and self-sacrifice in the name of saving the motherland. Negative heroes in the work are also those people who do not think about the fate of Russia at all (guests of Helen Kuraghina) and people who hide their indifference behind pretentious patriotism (most nobles, not counting some worthy personalities: Andrei Bolkonsky, Rostovs, Kutuzov, Bezukhov).
In addition, the writer is frankly ill-disposed towards those who enjoy the war - Napoleon and Dolokhov. It should not be so, it is unnatural. The war in the image of Tolstoy is so terrible that it is amazing how these people can enjoy battle. How cruel you need to be for this.
Noble people and humane deeds in the novel
The writer likes those people who, realizing that war is disgusting, vile, but sometimes inevitably, without any pathos, defend their country and do not receive any pleasure in killing opponents.
These are Denisov, Bolkonsky, Kutuzov and many other persons depicted in the episodes. From this, Tolstoy’s attitude to the war becomes clear. With special trepidation, the author writes about a truce when the Russians show compassion for the crippled French, their humane attitude towards prisoners (Kutuzov’s order to the soldiers at the end of the bloodshed is to pity the defeated opponents who received frostbite). The writer is also close to scenes in which enemies show humanity in relation to the Russians (interrogation of Bezukhov by Marshal Davout). Do not forget about the main idea of ​​the work - the cohesion of people. When peace reigns, the people, figuratively speaking, unite in one family, and during the war, disunity occurs. The novel also contains the idea of ​​patriotism. In addition, the author extols the world and speaks negatively of bloodshed. Tolstoy's attitude to war is sharply negative. As you know, the writer was a pacifist.
Crime for which there is no excuse
What does Tolstoy say about World War II? He claims that this is a crime. The writer will not divide the soldiers into defenders and attackers. Countless people have repaired as many atrocities as at a different time would not have plagued for several centuries, and what is most terrible, no one in this period regarded this as something unacceptable.
That was the war in Tolstoy’s understanding: blood, dirt (both literally and figuratively) and atrocities, horrifying any conscious person. But the writer understood that bloodshed was inevitable. Wars have been throughout the history of mankind and will be until the very end of its existence, nothing can be done about it. But our duty is to try to prevent atrocities and bloodshed, so that we ourselves and our families live in a world that, however, is so fragile. It must be protected by all means.