There was nothing green left; artillery had denuded and scarred every inch of ground. Tiny flares glowed and disappeared. Shrapnel burst with bluish white puffs. Jets of flamethrowers flickered and here and there new explosions stirred up the rubble. While I watched, an American observation plane droned over the Japanese lines, spotting targets for the U.S. warships lying offshore. Suddenly the little plane was hit by flak and disintegrated. The carnage below continued without pause. Here I was safe, but tomorrow I would be there. In that instant I realized that the worst thing that could happen to me was about to happen to me. .William Manchester
About This Quote
The above quote is taken from the book, "A Bridge Too Far" written by Cornelius Ryan. The purpose of this book was to detail the assault against the Germans at Arnhem in Holland during World War II. He portrays this event as a battle lost to the enemy, but one that is won by the men who fight for their country. Although military men are trained to do their duty regardless of the circumstances, Ryan shows that there is a great price to pay for war, and that no one can truly escape destiny. It is something that we cannot control.
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