The children who saw that war firsthand are almost all into their 80s.
The Europeans had a series of continent-wide wars in the early 19th Century. The rest of the century was somewhat bloody, with nation-on-nation fights here and there as well as civil wars-- even the Swiss had one. But there was not a major war for a century. Even when that war came, at least in western Europe, the front was largely static for most of the war; it wasn't until the second phase of that war in the early `40s that a significant percentage of Europe was turned into battlefields, with the infrastructure of entire nations reduced to rubble.
On the other side of the Eurasian land mass, countries have not borne the brunt of war for decades. The leadership of China has no memories of war. They seem to be growing more and more enamored of conflict as a means to an end; forgetting/ignoring that wars tend to spin out of control. What is planned to be a short, sharp war can turn into a meatgrinder of a bloody stalemate.
It's not hard to find more recent evidence of the costs of war. But nobody has seen large-scale armies fighting each other, with artillery and air support on both sides, in a lifetime.
As those memories fade, the delusions as to the cost of war will set in. The chickenhawks in several nations are gaining influence.
The Guns of August will be heard again.
Beautifully written, eb.
ReplyDeleteThis is something I have been thinking of for awhile, seems we as a species go insane from time to time and it feels like the insanity has been building. Thank you for saying it so eloquently.
ReplyDeleteChina/India/Pakistan. Population pressures for Pakistan and India, economic concerns for China and India, religious concerns for all three, Indian worries about Pakistani/China collaboration and Indian and Chinese internal separatist pressures. All three have nuclear weapons, substantial armies and land borders. China is critical to the West, India is important, Pakistan less so.
ReplyDeleteOpen questions, will China wait for Taiwan or will that be China’s gambit to show the world that the power has shifted? What is the U.S. willing to do to protect Taiwan? If we try to support Taiwan and lose a carrier or two, the war with China is uncontained, and escalates to at least tactical nukes. Does a China at war with the U.S. encourage the Norks to push south? Whose side does Russia play? Does India decide it’s a good time to clarify those disputed border area with China? Does the Philippines simply duck and cover? What about Japan and those U.S. bases?
Mahan is generally considered a God by the U.S. military and strategists, but never clearly explained several land empires. I would expect very little sea action between China and India, and the limitations of sea power on striking a land power would be exposed in a U.S./China conflict.
That is well written, but depressing as all hell.
ReplyDeleteWell, just as soon as the blood rises to a horse's bridle Jesus will float down out of the sky and rescue the christians who are working overtime to foment the war where the blood will rise to a horse's bridle ... I don't know, but with so many people out to make it happen it should be soon.
ReplyDeleteWe need a new Bill Mauldin to tell us these things again.
ReplyDelete0_0, there was a scene in the 1949 movie Battleground that showed children scavenging at an Army field kitchen in Bastogne.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that we'll see a major war in fifteen years, tops. The Guns of August may be nuclear.
Comrade, South American war within 5 years, Asia within 15, global within 40.
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