When Hollister has led an extremely destructive armed attack on the Lucifer uranium mine, the Guardian Captain in charge of the mine addresses him by radio:
"'You there! What is the meaning of this?'" (p. 211)
I thought that that was funny. Hollister agrees:
"'That was too much. Hollister began to laugh. He laughed so long he thought perhaps he was going crazy." (ibid.)
Hollister promises to lock prisoners in the convicts' cells with food supplies but later learns that his men:
"'...had literally torn the prisoners apart...'" (p. 212)
That is the sort of thing that happens.
ERB's hero, John Carter, leads the green hordes - including a unique temporary alliance between Thark, Warhoon and lesser hordes - that sacks Zodanga, a city of the red men. Later, Carter meets a Zodangan woman who hates the Warlord because of what his followers did to her city.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
At least what Hollister tried to do was the civilized way of handling prisoners who might or might not have been guilty of abuses and atrocities. And one that is to be preferred.
Ad astra! Sean
Force is a blunt instrument.
I once saw a military pilot listen to a politician talk about a "surgical strike" and break into uproarious laughter. "Surgery with a chain saw, you mealy-mouthed son of a bitch" was what he said when he stopped laughing.
We can do much better now, but it's still a chain-saw.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I have to agree. A more precisely aimed form of limited strike is a more accurate description.
Ad astra! Sean
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