WAR

                                                            WAR

In a conversation I had with a Veteran about war in general, we talked about the Civil war and I commented how General Sherman, on his march to the sea had a scorched earth policy. I told him how I had read that he destroyed every house and hamlet, forcing women and children out into the streets with no food and shelter. The enemy was nowhere around them, fast retreating, defeated. He told me that is what you are taught in the military.” If you can’t kill them, then make them wish they never have to deal with you again.”

This same Civil war General is also famous for his Quote. “War is hell.” Apparently it is and apparently he wanted it to be that way for everyone. His partner in command, in that war, was a far more compassionate man. General Grant, who I am sure, saw all of the same carnage brought on his troops by the enemy that Sherman did, told Robert E Lee at the surrender that his men should take their horses and side arms and go home to their families. The war was over. I guess Grant missed the course on scorched earth policy.

This brings me to my question, and keep in mind I wasn’t in the military. Is a scorched earth policy really what our troops are taught? I see instances of the military doing there best to avoid collateral damage all of the time. I understand how the whole battle thing would be easier if you just killed them all and let the lord sort them out, but aren’t we really better then that? It is my own opinion that there are more General Grants in the service today, then General Sherman’s.

This brings up another serious question. If war is hell and I believe most of us do believe that, why do we continue to relive it? There is no end to the movies and miniseries’ on television about wars that we have fought. Video games are built around the premise of shooting and killing people. Kids grow up with toy guns and fake swords. Then we settle down in the family room with a bowl of popcorn and watch movies from the Vietnam War. Then some deranged person takes a gun and shoots up a church and we say. “How does this happen? I just don’t understand.”

All of my life we have pretty much been at war at one time or another. Right now we are fighting in several places in the world. Don’t get me wrong; I do believe a strong military is a necessity in today’s world. But the rational for using it is another story. In all of my years as a fireman, fire prevention was our number one goal. The fire that never happened, because of good preventive decisions, was the epitome of success. Why can’t we see that the conflict that never happened in the world, because cooler heads prevailed, is a success too? Or do our generals feel like the coach who’s football team practices everyday but never gets to play a game. Dwight Eisenhower, a battle hardened general and later our president said,  “Some day the people of this country are going to want peace so bad that their leaders are going to have to get out of the way and let them have it.” You were right about that Ike. It’s just not that time yet. Blessed are the peacemakers.