<p>How bad is war? This review takes a unique approach to answer this question by assessing its effect on human happiness and comparing it with other collective calamities. To examine how war affects happiness, we investigate this relationship through two studies, one analyzing individual-level impacts using existing research and another exploring the macro-level link between national involvement in war and citizens’ average happiness. The literature review is based on the extensive World Database of Happiness, including 11 papers addressing the relationship between happiness and war. In Study 1, we delve into the individual level, examining the research on the effect of personal confrontation with war on happiness, both in the present and in the long term. The limited studies on this matter show a modest negative effect, similar to the observed effects of natural disasters on happiness. In Study 2, we shift our focus to the macro level of nations, analyzing the relationship between involvement in war and the average happiness of citizens. In this case, we found a stronger negative relation. These findings highlight the profound negative impact of war on happiness, emphasizing the need to invest in human resilience as a beacon of hope amidst adversity.</p>