Superior armies can briefly win a war, cultures win over the long span of time.

by Jack JC

Letter from an Uncle to his Nephew in the Army

My dear Nephew,

I follow world news very closely and there will likely be war between China and the USA in the near future.  I hope you will take some advise from your uncle who is feeling older every day.  I know you worry about your Grandparents and Parents, and it is right and good that you do, but they are not your worry and only a small part of your duty.

When you joined the Army you made the decision that all the Parents and Grandparents of China were yours to worry about and all of them are your duty.  That is both your doom and your pride.  Your Grandparents are the duty of your parents, aunts and uncles  to care for, and I promise we will do our best.

You need to understand that war is more than countries fighting, it is a struggle for economic dominance between two competing infrastructures and ideologies, and although superior armies can briefly win a war, cultures win over the long span of time.  In that respect you are lucky for you were born in one of the strongest cultures in the world, as well as the oldest surviving.

When you go to battle, do not fight for words like freedom or justice, for those are the words that have no meaning.  There is no such thing as freedom or justice.  Instead go into battle for culture – your culture – and the people you chose to protect from enemies.  When you are an old man like me you will understand this and it will be a comfort.

It is likely, if war comes, that my government will join the USA against China because there is too much control from the USA in our government.  If this happens, we will not meet in combat as family because I am too old now and have too many injuries, but you may meet young men and women I have trained.  They are good people, and I have trained them to be fine shots, in combat you must kill them without pity or remorse.  I will cry for them, but be glad my family member is safe, that is my duty.

When the battles are over, treat your prisoners well, but always be wary of them.  This will be a comfort to you in your old age when you remember the sights and sounds of combat, and feel remorse over what you had to do and see and experience.

Combat will shatter your soul, but if you remember you fought for your culture, and you only killed in heat of battle this will help you.  In a war, remember, there is no peaceful moment, danger will lurk all the time so never lose your vigilance – not for a moment!

When you are a veteran and mustered out – go home to the farm, it has been in your family for about 500 years.  Marry a kind woman and watch things grow; rice, vegetables, and children, both yours and your neighbors.  Growing things will be a salve to a tortured soul.

My Grandfather was a veteran of the First World War, he was a great man, and I miss his wisdom very much.  He would never talk of the war – he would just say, ‘Lad, we don’t need to speak of it. You don’t want to go to war’.  I am sad to say that this world will not honour his wishes for peace.

I am very proud of you, my nephew, your Aunt can tell you how much I worry about you and what looks to be coming in the future.  Please take care of yourself and your squad mates, in the thick of combat all you will have is each other.

Uncle Jack.

Jack JC

Jack JC, is a reserve Officer in a NATO aligned country, he has a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering and an interest in the strategic effects history and culture bring to present geo-political affairs. As an international traveler he has friends and family serving in both NATO and non-NATO countries and would prefer that his friends and family in both camps not kill each other. He has operated at senior corporate levels of management, and has developed equipment for both civilian and military use.