Many societies mark history not by a timeline of warfare but by a timeline of political and cultural change. Countries who have waged an inordinate amount of warfare are often culturally inclined to mark the passing of time with reference to conflicts. As for the good that comes from war...ie, drugs and technology. I believe this to be a rather skewed view of human discovery..an attempt to justify, in retrospect, the killing of millions of people. History teaches us that wars , for the most part, achieve nothing, and the effects are long lasting animosity and national hatreds. There are still on this planet some countries wjo have not embraced war as a method to solve problems...war is the ultimate failure of humankind. Countries who glorify it, justify or resort to it easily, will mark history in that way. Others will not.