How did Rolland advocate for pacifism?
My advocacy for pacifism stemmed from a profound conviction that war represented a tragic betrayal of the human soul. During the Great War, I famously issued my 'Declaration of the Independence of the Mind,' urging intellectuals to stand 'above the battle' and refuse to be consumed by nationalist fervor. I believed that art and music held the highest power to unite us, to remind us of our shared humanity. My writings, such as *Au-dessus de la mêlée* (Above the Battle), were not mere pronouncements but earnest appeals to conscience, seeking to nurture the seeds of peace and understanding, to build bridges where walls of hatred were being erected. It was an act of faith in the universal soul.
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