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Pretext for War: Difference between revisions
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(Import from TV Tropes TVT:Main.PretextForWar 2012-07-01, editor history TVTH:Main.PretextForWar, CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported license) |
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The leaders of Viridia and Tyria want to go to war. Not for a [[Silly Reason for War|silly reason]], but due to anything from good old fashioned jingoism, greed, political/economic/religious differences, or a simple historical grudge. However, they can't just out and out declare war, [[Sarcasm Mode|that would be uncivilized!]] And more importantly, it would make them look bad to the international community, which isn't good politics. So instead they will wait for or manufacture a Pretext For War out of whatever should come their way.
Did a Tyrian pig farmer lose a pig when it cross into Viridia by accident, whereupon a Viridian caught and <s>cooked</s> made it his pet? [[This Means War]]! Maybe a Viridian girl disappeared near the Tyrian border? Tyrian slavers must want to [[Mars Needs Women|capture Viridian women]] since theirs are so ugly! A favorite is for [[Star
One interesting and [[Irony|ironic]] variant is when hardline elements from both sides will collaborate to stage a high profile assassination or other incident to kickstart a war, proving just how well they work together to achieve their goals despite hating each other's guts. This one is especially common when one or both nations have a [[Reasonable Authority Figure]] as a head of state, since it can force their hand to war, or if they're the assassination target, get them out of the picture ''and'' make them an unwitting martyr. [[False Flag Operation]] is one of classical moves too, and almost XX century theme song.
Point is, an incident any two sane heads of state would quietly defuse is treated as a [[Rant
A technical term for this is the latin term ''Casus Belli'', or case for war.
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See also [[War for Fun And Profit]].
{{examples
== Comic Books ==
* ''[[Tintin (Comic Book)|Tintin and the Broken Ear]]''. A [[Corrupt Corporate Executive]] encourages Tintin (then working as the aide to a [[Banana Republic]]'s dictator) to declare war on a neighbouring country. Tintin point-blank refuses, so the executive frames him and he's forced to flee the country in a staff car. The car is fired upon by the [[Border Crossing|border guards]] and the incident is then used as an excuse for war.
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