The Importance of Fear in Warfare

   In A History of Bombing flight is depicted as being innovative and is appraised by many. People believed that the "aerial age" would create a "new world" which assumed that "all good things would come with flight: democracy, equality, and freedom" (27). Of course we all know that this is certainly not the case. In addition, early in the book there is mention of an author, Gottfield Zeidler, who wrote "The Flying Wanderer", which imagines flight as a dream coming true that would "make travel easier and cheaper" (11). Yet, Zeidler also makes the point of the "lack of security" the invention of flight creates as he writes, "No country, no city would ever be safe from attacks above" (11). The constant threat from what lies above us may not be our greatest individual concern here in the United States, but regardless it remains a concern, and internationally it is a significant concern of entire countries. The idea of not knowing when a bomb could be dropped instills a great amount of fear that deforms everyday life.

   For instance, in A History of Bombing, fear for bomb attacks at home convinces Americans to buy into the commodification of warfare (shelters, special doors, masks, etc.) as seen in Lindqvist's personal story of reading his handbook in sections 166-173. Lindqvist also admits, "Better to die than to allow my fear to infect those who had to be heroes" (81) . So not only is fear inevitable during wartime but it is also contagious. Additionally, in the book there is a story of a mother who is frightened by an unrelated event of a car crashing into her garden where she puts her daughter to nap. Yet, this event triggers in her fear for the larger concern of war happening abroad, "The threat of the extermination of humankind and the sight of burning children in Vietnam and all the other fears and indignation I felt paled before the sudden threat to my own daughter" (160). Lastly, in the story The Last Day by Helen (Mccloy) Clarkson, the narrator states, "Another important factor was fear...fear destroys reason as well as courage" (142). Fear amongst many is an important factor to warfare because it gives the enemy the upper hand in power, and debilitates the actions of innocent civilians. Currently, this is represented by the United States who instills fear in all other countries with publicity of our plethora of nuclear arms. 

- Courtney Pazin