Collage 638

This passage is from Volume IV, Part III, Chapter II. Tolstoy is talking about his philosophy of war. I cut out a single sentence from the text that reads

Partisan warfare (always successful, as history demonstrates) is directly opposed to this rule.

I am no history buff but it got me to think about some of the wars I am somewhat familiar with -- such as Vietnam (clearly the US lost that one and the "partisans" were able to resist the invaders) or in very current times, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the case of Afghanistan, there is a long, long history of resisting outside forces. Partisans, indeed. And it makes me think of how one defines "rebels" vs. "freedom fighters". Sometimes I wonder how I personally would respond if the US was invaded -- I hope I, too, would become a partisan. -- Lola

Lola Baltzell
from page 531-532, volume 2 of original text
collage
made 9/30/11
Pevear/Volokhnsky translation page 1033-1034