Somepessimistichistoriansthinkthewholesocietyofmanrunsincyclesandthatoneofthephasesiswar.
Theoptimists,ontheotherhand,thinkwarisnotlikeafloodoraspellofbadweather.
Theybelievethatitismorelikeadiseaseforwhichacurecouldbefoundifthecausewereknown.
Becausewaristheultimatedramaoflifeanddeath,storiesandpicturesofitaremoreinterestingthanthoseaboutpeace.
Thisissotruethatallofus,andperhapsthoseofusontelevisionmorethanmost,areoftencaughtupintheactionofwartotheexclusionoftheideasofit.
Ifitistrue,aswewouldliketothinkitis,thatourageismorecivilizedthanagepast,wemustallagreethatit’sverystrangethatinthetwentiethcentury,wehavekilledmorethan70millionsofourfellowmenonpurpose,atwar.
Probablythereasonweareabletodoboth—thatis,believeontheonehandthatwearemorecivilizedandontheotherhandwagewartokill—isthatkillingisnotsopersonalanaffairinwarasitoncewas.
Onemandoesn’tlookanotherintheeyeandkillhimwithasword.
Theenemy,deadoralive,islargelyunseen.
Heiskilledbyremotecontrol:aloudnoise,adistantpuffofsmokeandthen...silence.
Thepicturesofthevictim’swifeandchildren,whichhecarriesinhisbreastpocket,aredestroyedwithhim.
Thequestionofcompassionorpityorremorsedoesnotenterintoit.
Theenemyisnotaman,heisastatistic.
Itistrue,too,thatmorepeoplearebeingkilledatwarnowthanpreviouslybecausewe’rebetteratdoingitthanweusedtobe.
Onemanwithonemodernweaponcankillthousands.