One should refer to things by their accurate designation. What is happening right now in Vietnam is a form of torture. What they do is tormenting people. They torment a nation in order to humiliate it, compel them to subjugate with brute force. That is why the bombings are an infamy. Of such there are many in modern history. They are often linked by name: Guernica, Oradour, Babij Jar, Katyn, Lidice, Sharpeville and Treblinka. In all those places violence was triumphant, but the judgment of history came down hard on those who were responsible. Now there is another name to add to the row: Hanoi, the Christmas of 1972.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Military actions like the bombing of Hanoi are acts of torture and infamy, similar to historical atrocities where violence was later judged harshly.
- In plain terms
- Violent bombings are torturous and will be condemned by history like past atrocities.
- What can you take from it?
- Violence against nations is an infamy that history will judge.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does history judge violence?
- When is force an infamy?
Another view
Not all military actions fit the definition of torture.
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