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Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Activist
David Hartsough knows how to get in the way. He has used his body to block Navy ships headed for Vietnam and trains loaded with munitions on their way to El Salvador and Nicaragua. He has crossed borders to meet “the enemy” in East Berlin, Castro’s Cuba, and present-day Iran. He has marched with mothers confronting a violent regime in Guatemala and stood with refugees threatened by death squads in the Philippines. Waging Peace is a testament to the difference one person can make. Hartsough’s stories inspire, educate, and encourage readers to find ways to work for a more just and peaceful world. Inspired by the examples of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., Hartsough has spent his life experimenting with the power of active nonviolence. It is the story of one man’s effort to live as though we were all brothers and sisters. Engaging stories on every page provide a peace activist’s eyewitness account of many of the major historical events of the past sixty years, including the Civil Rights and anti–Vietnam War movements in the United States and the little-known but equally significant nonviolent efforts in the Soviet Union, Kosovo, Palestine, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. Hartsough’s story demonstrates the power and effectiveness of organized nonviolent action. But Waging Peace is more than one man’s memoir. Hartsough shows how this struggle is waged all over the world by ordinary people committed to ending the spiral of violence and war.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
About the author
David Hartsough
4 books1 followerDavid Hartsough was an American Quaker peace activist. Formerly a long-time employee of the American Friends Service Committee, he co-founded the Nonviolent Peaceforce.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 14, 2016
Waging Peace is both a memoir and a call for action. David Hartsough documents his commitment to non-violence from an early age. His father, a Congregational minister, was of a similar mind and participated in many American Friends Service activities.
The writing conveys a great deal of conviction and there are numerous examples of where the non-violent approach has been successful. A better gift for writing might have made it more engaging.
In the last portion of the book, Hartsough makes his case for active participation by his readers. He offers a Declaration of Peace and the opportunity to join “people from around the world” in organizing “A Global Movement to End All War and Promote Enduring Peace.”
Even if you do not choose to join, Hartsough raises enough ideas and issues so that a real conversation can begin. Here are some of those potential discussions that I have drawn from the book.
What kind of impact on peace would a reinvigorated Peace Corps have?
How much more participation in religion would take place in faith communities if they were more engaged in the true “world’s needs?”
How much have the peoples movements of Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador changed government policy?
Did the Marshall Plan of post- World War II demonstrate that it is much cheaper to wage peace than war?
Did non-violent students in Serbia bring down the Milosevic regime, when N.A.T.O could not? Can the same success in deposing dictatorships be attributed to non-violent movements in South Africa, India, the Philippines, South Korea, Chile, Bolivia, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Ukraine, Tunisia, Egypt, and Liberia?
We should have that discussion.
The writing conveys a great deal of conviction and there are numerous examples of where the non-violent approach has been successful. A better gift for writing might have made it more engaging.
In the last portion of the book, Hartsough makes his case for active participation by his readers. He offers a Declaration of Peace and the opportunity to join “people from around the world” in organizing “A Global Movement to End All War and Promote Enduring Peace.”
Even if you do not choose to join, Hartsough raises enough ideas and issues so that a real conversation can begin. Here are some of those potential discussions that I have drawn from the book.
What kind of impact on peace would a reinvigorated Peace Corps have?
How much more participation in religion would take place in faith communities if they were more engaged in the true “world’s needs?”
How much have the peoples movements of Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador changed government policy?
Did the Marshall Plan of post- World War II demonstrate that it is much cheaper to wage peace than war?
Did non-violent students in Serbia bring down the Milosevic regime, when N.A.T.O could not? Can the same success in deposing dictatorships be attributed to non-violent movements in South Africa, India, the Philippines, South Korea, Chile, Bolivia, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Ukraine, Tunisia, Egypt, and Liberia?
We should have that discussion.
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April 29, 2016David Hartsough grew up Quaker. He watched his parents protesting and early on wanted to get to know our "enemies," so he went camping in Russia! Had a great time. This memoir displays his consistent nonviolent-oriented sensibility in the many difficult situations he got himself into. He is now 74.
In El Salvador Hartsough's delegation was asked "Could you come to our village and just walk down the main street? This will save lives, because the death squads will know the world is watching." Learning that merely his presence could make a difference was a lesson he didn't forget. He started a group called Nonviolent Peaceforce which now works with the UN in some countries with refugees, as well as a smaller group called Peaceworkers. I believe he would agree with E.O. Wilson, who said that humans have some genetic predisposition to aggression, but the best way of subverting it is a "confusion of cross-binding loyalties." If people meet in the world, they are always forging bonds.
Hartsough also addresses the American addiction to consumption, saying we are using almost six times our rightful share of the world's resources. His family has always lived simply and he describes its advantages.
In El Salvador Hartsough's delegation was asked "Could you come to our village and just walk down the main street? This will save lives, because the death squads will know the world is watching." Learning that merely his presence could make a difference was a lesson he didn't forget. He started a group called Nonviolent Peaceforce which now works with the UN in some countries with refugees, as well as a smaller group called Peaceworkers. I believe he would agree with E.O. Wilson, who said that humans have some genetic predisposition to aggression, but the best way of subverting it is a "confusion of cross-binding loyalties." If people meet in the world, they are always forging bonds.
Hartsough also addresses the American addiction to consumption, saying we are using almost six times our rightful share of the world's resources. His family has always lived simply and he describes its advantages.
March 23, 2025
Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong ActivistDavid Hartsough, a lifelong activist and advocate for peace, dedicated his life to nonviolent resistance and social justice. His book, Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Activist, details his experiences confronting war, injustice, and inequality through nonviolent means. Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement, Hartsough was deeply involved in peaceful protests, including sit-ins, blockades, and peace delegations around the world. His activism spanned numerous conflicts and regions, from the U.S. civil rights movement to international peace efforts in Vietnam, Central America, and the Middle East.
His vision for the world was one of justice, nonviolence, and a society free from war and oppression. He believed that committed individuals, through peaceful means, could bring about profound social change. Hartsough co-founded the Nonviolent Peaceforce, an organization that trains and deploys unarmed civilian peacekeepers to conflict zones. His life was a testament to the power of moral courage and nonviolent resistance.
With his passing on March 22, 2025, the world has lost a true champion of peace.
His vision for the world was one of justice, nonviolence, and a society free from war and oppression. He believed that committed individuals, through peaceful means, could bring about profound social change. Hartsough co-founded the Nonviolent Peaceforce, an organization that trains and deploys unarmed civilian peacekeepers to conflict zones. His life was a testament to the power of moral courage and nonviolent resistance.
With his passing on March 22, 2025, the world has lost a true champion of peace.
February 23, 2024
I came across David Hartsough via David Swanson’s writings and the World Beyond War movement. Disclaimer: I have always been an advocate for pacifism and non-violent resistance. You can judge whether this affects my objectivity or not.
To my mind, this autobiography speaks with authority and authenticity written as it is by a man who has ‘walked the walk’ of nonviolent resistance for many decades. As such, it is a heartening read, holding out hope for the future in a world that seems to relentlessly pursue a path of waging war as a solution to conflicts. It’s good to know that despite a gloomy backdrop, David has not lost his fervour and drive.
What is his history? Born into a family steeped in the culture and beliefs of the Friends Society (Quakers), it’s perhaps not surprising that Hartsough felt moved as a youngster to embark on a life devoted to protest, mobilisation of peace groups and activism. At an early age he met Martin Luther King and was further inspired by his six principles of nonviolence. The author’s journey charts a history of opposition to war that spans the continents. Chapters deal with experiences that saw him risk life and limb in Cuba, Yugoslavia, Russia, the US, Central America, the Middle East (including Palestine) and many others.
This reviewer is an atheist, yet I didn’t find Hartsough’s constant references to his faith irritating or intrusive. In fact, I learned that the Quaker movement accepts people from all religions and those of no faith whatsoever! Significant learning moments were his dealings with the late JFK and the observation that just prior to his assassination he was committed to a program of ‘peace escalation’ — a route influenced by Hartsough’s movement’s discussions with him. Indeed, Kennedy’s famous quote took on a particular resonance: ‘Those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.
Another example was the power of having an international presence in areas of persecution such as the Phillipines, Nicaragua and El Salvador. The fact that individuals and movements were willing to put their lives on the line and stand with local communities surely prevented many deaths. Hartsough also documents other non-violent examples that peacefully averted oppression in the former Yugoslavia and Milosevich’s reign of terror, and the reversal of a military coup in Russia at the time of Gorbachev’s glasnost and perestroika initiatives.
The book ends with an extensive list of references for the curious reader, which I found very useful. After reading this book, it’s my hope that it will inspire many to be unafraid and sign up to movements across the world that promote non-violence as a set of principles that are truly humanitarian and work in practice.
To my mind, this autobiography speaks with authority and authenticity written as it is by a man who has ‘walked the walk’ of nonviolent resistance for many decades. As such, it is a heartening read, holding out hope for the future in a world that seems to relentlessly pursue a path of waging war as a solution to conflicts. It’s good to know that despite a gloomy backdrop, David has not lost his fervour and drive.
What is his history? Born into a family steeped in the culture and beliefs of the Friends Society (Quakers), it’s perhaps not surprising that Hartsough felt moved as a youngster to embark on a life devoted to protest, mobilisation of peace groups and activism. At an early age he met Martin Luther King and was further inspired by his six principles of nonviolence. The author’s journey charts a history of opposition to war that spans the continents. Chapters deal with experiences that saw him risk life and limb in Cuba, Yugoslavia, Russia, the US, Central America, the Middle East (including Palestine) and many others.
This reviewer is an atheist, yet I didn’t find Hartsough’s constant references to his faith irritating or intrusive. In fact, I learned that the Quaker movement accepts people from all religions and those of no faith whatsoever! Significant learning moments were his dealings with the late JFK and the observation that just prior to his assassination he was committed to a program of ‘peace escalation’ — a route influenced by Hartsough’s movement’s discussions with him. Indeed, Kennedy’s famous quote took on a particular resonance: ‘Those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.
Another example was the power of having an international presence in areas of persecution such as the Phillipines, Nicaragua and El Salvador. The fact that individuals and movements were willing to put their lives on the line and stand with local communities surely prevented many deaths. Hartsough also documents other non-violent examples that peacefully averted oppression in the former Yugoslavia and Milosevich’s reign of terror, and the reversal of a military coup in Russia at the time of Gorbachev’s glasnost and perestroika initiatives.
The book ends with an extensive list of references for the curious reader, which I found very useful. After reading this book, it’s my hope that it will inspire many to be unafraid and sign up to movements across the world that promote non-violence as a set of principles that are truly humanitarian and work in practice.
December 19, 2016
An inspirational journey told by a truly amazing visionary peace activist. This should provide a sense of hope and empowerment to all those who read this - particularly in these very dark times. And it shows the power of what just one person can do - for good. Well worth the read.
October 18, 2023
In most ways this is a 'standard' autobiography. The difference is the family that he's born into and the things David does with his life. David show amazing grace and the power of non-violent protest. I wish there were more who had his courage. I wish that I had his courage!
March 16, 2021
Essential reading for anyone who is interested in peace activism. Very inspiring and full of amazing stories of how a true commitment to nonviolence can bring about real change.
March 21, 2016
Great set of resources at the end of the book. I must admit that I found this book hard to read. David accomplished so much over so many years that I found myself overwhelmed by his stories. I need to read and re-read, and study and use the resources.
January 7, 2015
While David does important work that I am glad is being told in book form, the book reads a bit boring and long in some parts.
April 23, 2017
The author has been involved in nonviolent actions in an amazing number of global hot spots that involve the US, for example, Russia during the Cold War, the US civil rights movement, Central America from the 1980s onward, the former Yugoslavia before and during its destruction, Palestine/Gaza, and the anti-nuclear movement. It made me feel very ignorant about the extent and complete cynicism of much of what our government has been up to during my lifetime, and how little of the actual situation on the ground - the perspective of the people experiencing life under conflict and unjust conditions - is reported in the popular media. The book is an interesting mixture of idealism and recognizing unjust realities for what they are.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews