History Main / Warhawk

* [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority Imperator]] Essachan Sherruk from ''Literature/{{Eclipse}}'' is vehement in his advocacy for ''international military intervention'' against [[AntiMagic Skuurnur]] after one of their commanders invaded a neutral country. When a refugee fleet of that same country gets attacked, Sherruk again calls for war ''just on the mere suspicion'' that it ''might'' have been Skuurnur, and to hell with any investigation in the matter. The twist is that he flat-out said that he's only really concerned Skuurnur might curry favor with some defense contractors that he's interested in courting for his own empire.

When a tense situation between countries, factions, or nations breaks out, there will usually be those who advocate going to war as [[ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer the only option]]. They tend to be extremely aggressive and vocal in their position, and may view those who dismiss warfare as an option as [[DirtyCoward cowards]] or [[WideEyedIdealist idealists]]. War Hawks will often appeal to the general population for support to bring pressure on their ideological opponents to declare war.

* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': Galadriel's insistence on hunting down Sauron and even waging war against him pisses off a lot of factions as Season 1 goes on. She is betrayed by her own company, and Gil-galad tries to have her sent back to Valinor to make sure she is stopped. She doesn't go, and unwittingly finds Sauron in human form in the middle of the ocean. Both are saved by Elendil and received as guests in Numenor, where, instead of being diplomatic, she rudely insists again to be given an army to go in the Southlands once she learns Halbrand is the supposed heir to a lost line of kings. Even [[VillainHasAPoint Halbrand/Sauron]] snaps at her several times for trying to manipulate and force him to do something he doesn't want, only to fulfill her personal desire for revenge. After Orodruin's eruption, along with the reveal Halbrand is Sauron, she has a HeelRealization about how her restless quest created so many collateral victims.
-->'''Halbrand/Sauron:''' As much as I admire your habit of charging at every obstacle in you path, like a colt in full gallop... Has it ever occurred to you [Galadriel] that you're not battling trolls or Orcs, but Men?\\

'''Halbrand/Sauron:''' No, no, I... [laughs] I wouldn't dare. But then... Thr Queen's court isn't exactly your usual battlefield, is it?

* In ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers'', Grima Wormtongue accuses Eomer of this for advocating that Rohan go to war against Saruman and uses it as an excuse to exile him. This is after Eomer turns up with hard evidence that Saruman struck first, namely orc armor painted with Saruman's insignia. This is prevented from being a Wall Banger because Saruman is controlling Theoden and the actual guards have been replaced with a bunch of thugs.

* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': Galadriel's insistence on hunting down Sauron and even waging war against him pisses off a lot of factions as Season 1 goes on. She is betrayed by her own company, and Gil-galad tries to have her sent back to Valinor to make sure she is stopped. She doesn't go, and unwittingly finds Sauron in human form in the middle of the ocean. Both are saved by Elendil and received as guests in Numenor, where, instead of being diplomatic, she rudely insists again to be given an army to go in the Southlands once she learns Halbrand is the supposed heir to a lost line of kings. Even [[VilainHasAPoint Halbrand/Sauron]] snaps at her several times for trying to manipulate and force him to do something he doesn't want, only to fulfill her personal desire for revenge. After Orodruin's eruption, along with the reveal Halbrand is Sauron, she has a HeelRealization about how her restless quest created so many collateral victims.

* ''Series/MythQuest'': Strong Bear was in favour of continuing the Nez Perce's war with the Blackfoot, despite the fact that the Nez Perce were vastly outnumbered and severely decimated. He manages to sabotage the peace talks for a brief period of time.
* Series/BabylonFive had several:
** Londo Molari wanted the Centauri to be "great again" and to punish the Narn, leading to his alliance with the Shadows.
** G'kar was a WarHawk until the Centauri occupation and events caused him to become more spiritual.
** The Minbari Warrior Caste was this, until the Shadows showed up.
** Earthforce and [[PresidentEvil President Clarke]] were desperate to get its hands on any technology to get a military edge, even if it was SealedEvilInACan.
* ''Series/{{JAG}}'': In the episode "Act of Terror", we have Percival Bertram, a wealthy businessman who supports right-wing conservative politicians and brands himself as a super-patriot (i.e. a {{Warhawk}}) advocating that the U.S. (pre 9/11) should take gloves of with respect to terrorists to U.S. interests in the Middle East. However, the alleged super-patriot finances terrorism in the Middle East against U.S. interests (supposedly to create a self-fulfilling prophecy to serve his own business interests.)
* ''Series/TheBrink'': Secretary of Defense Pierce Gray, and nearly half the members of the US Cabinet. As Secretary of State Walter Larson points out, many of them have interests and holdings in the defense industry.
* On an episode of ''Series/MissionImpossible'', the team has a mission involving two politicians who want the U.S. to go to war with the Soviet Union (and, presumably, any other Communist countries for good measure). They stage an elaborate plot where one of them hires a Russian to kill the other, only for the "victim" to fake his death. When the hitman is caught by the police, the "survivor" of the pair tries to make the other into a martyr to stir up a war. However, the team ruins the plan via an EngineeredPublicConfession.
* Daemon Targaryen on ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'' is a mercurial warrior prince who's more likely to approach conflicts at swordpoint or with dragonfire than diplomatically. He joins the Stepstones war of his own accord and helps win the entire thing in the end, [[spoiler:decapitates Vaemond Velaryon]] mid-rant when Daemon's stepson's legitimacy is questioned, then [[spoiler:encourages Rhaenyra to strike at the Greens when her throne is usurped]] while she is more reluctant.

* ''Series/{{JAG}}'': In the episode "Act of Terror", we have Percival Bertram, a wealthy businessman (looking like a CorruptHick) who supports right-wing conservative politicians and brands himself as a super-patriot (i.e. a {{Warhawk}}) advocating that the U.S. (pre 9/11) should take gloves of with respect to terrorists to U.S. interests in the Middle East. However, the alleged super-patriot finances terrorism in the Middle East against U.S. interests (supposedly to create a self-fulfilling prophecy to serve his own business interests.)

* Garrosh Hellscream in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' becomes increasingly vocal about his support for war with the Alliance throughout the ''Wrath of the Lich King'' expansion. When he becomes Warchief in ''Cataclysm'', his goals are realized, and they get turned UpToEleven come ''Mists of Pandaria.''

* The General, a one-time ComicBook/{{Batman}} and recurring ComicBook/RobinSeries foe, loves war and manages to get instated as a military advisor in a small country that has constant tensions with the trope namer for {{Qurac}} and of course sets about instigating an all out war with them.

* Many hive-level crusades in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' are started by particularly vocal priests who whip the population into a frenzy, resulting in TorchesAndPitchforks against anyone accused of being a mutant or not faithful enough. Law enforcement either encourages them or arrests them, depending on how productive these crusades are.

[[folder:Troper Works]]
* [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority Imperator]] Essachan Sherruk from ''Literature/{{Eclipse}}'' is vehement in his advocacy for ''international military intervention'' against [[AntiMagic Skuurnur]] after one of their commanders invaded a neutral country. When a refugee fleet of that same country gets attacked, Sherruk again calls for war ''just on the mere suspicion'' that it ''might'' have been Skuurnur, and to hell with any investigation in the matter. The twist is that he flat-out said that he's only really concerned Skuurnur might curry favor with some defense contractors that he's interested in courting for his own empire.
[[/folder]]

***
---->'''Michael Eddington''': We had the Cardassians on the run.\\

->''"No longer will we die the death of a thousand cuts. Peace was the death of the Klingon Empire. Thankfully, it was a mistake that we caught in time. Conflict makes us Klingon. Combat makes us strong. I write my story with the my blade, and the ink is the blood of my enemies."''

* In the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series, quarian admiral and GeneralRipper Han'Gerrel is the biggest supporter of the quarians going to war with the geth to reclaim his species' homeworld. Tali's father Rael'Zorah is also a supporter of going to war against the geth.

* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'' has wants to start a war with the peaceful Wapiti tribe in hopes of reviving his already-over military career. This includes numerous war crimes and acts of aggression that ultimately succeed in motivating the braves to attack nearby oil fields. [[spoiler: His regiment is massacred and he's killed in the result.]]

* ''Film/{{Virus}}'' (1980 film) has Henry Silva's General Garland, who continuously assumes that the world-wide viral infection that is killing ''everybody'' is a Russian attack and thus constantly asks the President for permission to nuke Russia (even after it's made clear that 1) Russians are also affected and 2) the Russians have an automated defense system that would cause MutuallyAssuredDestruction if missiles are launched). [[spoiler:The last thing Garland does before succumbing to the virus, also having been driven insane, is to arm America's own version of said automated defense system. This causes a whole lot of drama during the final act, when it turns out that an upcoming earthquake will trigger the launches and the nuclear retaliation from Russia will destroy the only place where humans are currently left...]]

* ''Virus (1980 film)'' has Henry Silva's General Garland, who continuously assumes that the world-wide viral infection that is killing ''everybody'' is a Russian attack and thus constantly asks the President for permission to nuke Russia (even after it's made clear that 1) Russians are also affected and 2) the Russians have an automated defense system that would cause MutuallyAssuredDestruction if missiles are launched). [[spoiler:The last thing Garland does before succumbing to the virus, also having been driven insane, is to arm America's own version of said automated defense system. This causes a whole lot of drama during the final act, when it turns out that an upcoming earthquake will trigger the launches and the nuclear retaliation from Russia will destroy the only place where humans are currently left...]]

* The General, a one time ComicBook/{{Batman}} and recurring ComicBook/RobinSeries, foe loves war and manages to get instated as a military advisor in a small country that has constant tensions with the trope namer for {{Qurac}} and of course sets about instigating an all out war with them.

* In ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers'' Grima Wormtongue accuses Eomer of this for advocating that Rohan go to war against Saruman and uses it as an excuse to exile him. This is after Eomer turns up with hard evidence that Saruman struck first, namely orc armor painted with Saruman's insignia. This is prevented from being a Wall Banger because Saruman is controlling Theoden and the actual guards have been replaced with a bunch of thugs.

* In ''Film/KingdomOfHeaven'' Guy de Lusignan and Reynauld de Chatillon want the Kingdom of Jerusalem to go to war with Saladin and the Muslims, motivated by religious intolerance and the potential for glory. King Baldwin does his best to keep peace despite Reynauld's attempts to provoke a war, but Guy takes the throne upon Baldwin's death, and he and Reynauld immediately begin doing what they'd wanted to do all along.
* Media mogul Elliot Carver tries to trigger warfare between the United Kingdom and the Republic of China in the ''Film/JamesBond'' film ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' so that his news network can broadcast all the gruesome fighting and monopolize the industry. [[spoiler: He's also conspiring with one of the Chinese generals so that the general will be lionized and thus go up the party hierarchy, with designs on becoming Chairman, and Carver's media company will acquire a near-monopoly in China in return.]]
* ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'': Admiral Marcus is shown to be a strong advocate of taking action against the Klingons, since he figures it's only a matter of time before they do, [[spoiler: and that's before it's revealed that he's actually trying to engineer a war]].

** On the human side, Dreyfus fits the bill, though to a far lesser extent than his ape counterpart Koba. When his scouting party finds the aforementioned dam, Dreyfus is quick to jump on the solution of simply slaughtering the apes - he apparently still has not quite gotten his head around the fact that [[ItCanThink they can think]] and simply views them as aggressive animals. When he sends his second-in-command Malcolm (who is a peace advocate, provoking a contrast similar to Koba and Caesar) to negotiate with the apes, he mobilizes his forces for an attack should the negotiations fail. However, unlike Koba, he is willing to give negotiation a chance.
* ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'' features two groups of war-hawks. The Klingon hawks advocate war against the Federation before resources run out and it becomes impossible, the Federation hawks advocate taking advantage of the new Klingon weakness to solidify their position and be in a better position to dictate terms later. [[spoiler: The two groups -- with some Romulan assistance, presumably because they'd quite like a Federation-Klingon War weakening both their main rivals -- work together to sabotage the peace negotiations.]]
* On ''Film/FailSafe'', Professor Groeteschele is an academic example (not just because he's an academic), insisting on [[LetNoCrisisGoToWaste not letting the current crisis go to waste]] and follow up the accidental first strike that provides the film's plot with a very real second strike by the American nuclear arsenal, hoping to catch the Russians unaware and winning the UsefulNotes/ColdWar. He is quickly put into place by the military higher-ups (who are already horrified enough as it is), calling him [[HeWhoFightsMonsters as no different from those he wants to kill]].

* Jiang Wei of Shu in the ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' series is constantly pushing for war against Wei. This ends up bringing about the end of Shu since Wei is stronger and Jiang Wei suffers major defeats.

** Gul Dukat watches as the Maquis and the Klingons [[CurbstompBattle wipe the floor with his military]]. When Kira helps him capture a Bird of Prey ''with a list of targets and Klingon supply lines'', Dukat has a breakdown when the new civilian government wants a diplomatic solution. Cue Dukat staging a one ship war then forging an alliance with the Dominion '''and then war against the Alpha Quadrant'''.

* In ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRings The Two Towers]]'' Grima Wormtongue accuses Eomer of this for advocating that Rohan go to war against Saruman and uses it as an excuse to exile him. This is after Eomer turns up with hard evidence that Saruman struck first, namely orc armor painted with Saruman's insignia. This is prevented from being a Wall Banger because Saruman is controlling Theoden and the actual guards have been replaced with a bunch of thugs.

* Creator/IsaacAsimov's "CChute": Colonel Anthony Windham, the oldest passenger, regrets his age/infirmity, but is very willing to stir up anti-Kloros feeling amoung the remaining passengers. His idea for preventing the Kloros from taking the ship is to charge the occupied bridge and activate the ship's self-destruct before they die.

* Media mogul Elliot Carver tries to trigger warfare between the United Kingdom and the Republic of China in the ''Film/JamesBond'' film ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' so that his news network can broadcast all the gruesome fighting and monopolize the industry.

* In ''Film/KingdomOfHeaven'' Guy de Lusignan and Reynauld de Chatillon want the Kingdom of Jerusalem to go to war with Saladin and the Muslims, motivated by religious intolerance and the potential for glory. King Baldwin does his best to keep peace while Reynauld and his Templars try to provoke war by raiding Muslim caravans, but when he dies Guy becomes king and murders an envoy sent by Saladin to force war.