13. In what way have sunlike rulers of this world “scorched” mankind?

¹³ After the first world war, the rulers of this world formed the League of Nations in an effort to solve the problem of world security, but this failed. So other experimental types of rulership were tried, such as Fascism and Nazism. Communism continued to expand. Rather than improve mankind’s lot, the sunlike rulers in these systems began to ‘scorch mankind with great heat.’ Local wars in Spain, Ethiopia, and Manchuria led up to the second world war. Modern history records that Mussolini, Hitler, and Stalin as dictators became responsible directly and indirectly for the deaths of tens of millions, including many of their own nationals. More recently, international or civil conflicts have “scorched” the people of countries such as Vietnam, Kampuchea, Iran, Lebanon, and Ireland, as well as countries in Latin America and Africa. Add to this the ongoing struggle between the superpowers, whose horrendous nuclear weapons are capable of incinerating all mankind.

“Today Hitler and Mussolini, the arbitrary dictators, threaten the peace of the whole world, and they are fully supported in their destruction of freedom by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy.”​—Fascism or Freedom, 1939, page 12.

“Throughout history the policy followed by human dictators has been, Rule or ruin! But the regulation now to be applied to all the earth by God’s installed King, Jesus Christ, is, Be ruled or be ruined.”​—When All Nations Unite Under God’s Kingdom, 1961, page 23.

“Since 1945 more than 25 million persons have been killed in some 150 wars fought around the globe.”​—The Watchtower, January 15, 1980, page 6.

“The nations around the world . . . care little about international responsibility or rules of conduct. To reach their ends, some nations feel fully justified in using any means that they consider necessary​—massacres, assassinations, hijackings, bombings, and so on . . . How long will the nations put up with one another in such senseless and irresponsible conduct?”​—The Watchtower, February 15, 1985, page 4.