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Quote by James Burnham

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The War We are in: The Last Decade and the Next

This book delves into the complexities of modern warfare, examining the pivotal events of the last decade and their implications for the future. It explores the evolving nature of conflict, the roles of technology, and the strategies employed by nations and non-state actors. more

Author

James Burnham
James Burnham

James Burnham was an American political leader born on November 22, 1905, and died on July 28, 1987. He had a profound impact on the fields of political theory, international relations, and conservative thought. more

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“How much atonement is enough? The bombing must be allowed as at least part-payment: those of our young people who are concerned about the moral problem posed by the Allied air offensive should at least consider the moral problem that would have been posed if the German civilian population had not suffered at all.”

“Arms are instruments of ill omen.... When one is compelled to use them, it is best to do so without relish. There is no glory in victory, and to glorify it despite this is to exult in the killing of men.... When great numbers of people are killed, one should weep over them with sorrow. When victorious in war, one should observe mourning rites.”

“A broadsheet obituarist once pointed out to me that veteran soldiers die by rank. First to go are the generals, admirals and air marshals, then the brigadiers, then a bit of a gap and the colonels and wing commanders and passed-over majors, then a steady trickle of captains and lieutenants. As they get older and rarer, so the soldiers are mythologised and grow ever more heroic, until finally drummer boys and under-age privates are venerated and laurelled with honours like ancient field marshals. There is something touching about that.”