Battles are like marriages. They have certain fundamental experience they share in common; they differ infinitely, but still they are all alike. A battle seems to me a conflict of wills to the death in the same way that a marriage of love is the identification of two human beings to the end of the creation of life—as death is the reverse of life, and love of hate. Battles are commitments to cause death as marriages are commitments to create life. Whether, for any individual, either union results in death or in the creation of new life, each risks it—and in the risk commits himself.
As the servants of death, battles will always remain horrible. Those who are fascinated by them are being fascinated by death. There is no battle aim worthy of the name except that of ending all battles. Any other conception is, literally, suicidal. The fascist worship of battle is a suicidal drive; it is love of death instead of life.
In the same idiom, to triumph in battle over the forces which are fighting for death is-again literally-to triumph over death. It is a surgeon’s triumph as he cuts a body and bloodies his hands in removing a cancer in order to triumph over the death that is in the body.
In these thoughts I have found my own peace, and I return to an army that fights death and cynicism in the name of life and hope. It is a good army. Believe in it.
Although the author says that battles are horrible, he also says that______.
A．most people find fascination in them
B．there is no battle aim worthy of the name
C．one should love life and not death
D．fighting to end battles is justifiable