Why don't Countries Formally Declare War Anymore? (Short Animated Documentary)

Summary by Krater

This video examines why major global powers have largely stopped formally declaring war since World War II, analyzing historical conflicts such as the Vietnam War and the Falklands War.

From the video

Answers: Why don't countries formally declare war anymore?

• Formal declaration of war
• Cold War conflicts
• Vietnam War
• Falklands War
• United Nations legal framework
• Law of neutrality

What it concludes

• The establishment of the United Nations after World War II introduced strict international legal frameworks regarding the legitimate grounds for war.
• During the Vietnam War, the US did not formally declare war because it was aiding an ally in an ongoing civil war and the USSR would not approve a war against a fellow communist state.
• Margaret Thatcher was advised against declaring war on Argentina in 1982 due to UN self-defense laws and the complications it would create with neutral countries.
• Failing to formally declare war does not change a nation's legal relationship or obligations with other states, meaning nothing fundamentally has to change regarding how they treat each other.