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Different ways Quote by Robert A. Heinlein

“There are a dozen different ways of delivering destruction in impersonal wholesale, via ships and missiles of one sort or another, catastrophes so widespread, so unselective, that the war is over because that nation or planet has ceased to exist. What we do is entirely different. We make war as…” quote by Robert A. Heinlein
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““There are a dozen different ways of delivering destruction in impersonal wholesale, via ships and missiles of one sort or another, catastrophes so widespread, so unselective, that the war is over because that nation or planet has ceased to exist. What we do is entirely different. We make war as personal as a punch in the nose. We can be selective, applying precisely the required amount of pressure at the specified point at a designated time . . . . We are the boys who go to a particular place, at H-hour, occupy a designated terrain, stand on it, dig the enemy out of their holes, force them then and there to surrender or die. We're the bloody infantry, the doughboy, the duckfoot, the foot soldier who goes where the enemy is and takes him on in person. We've been doing it, with changes in weapons but very little change in our trade, at least since the time five thousand years ago when the foot sloggers of Sargon the Great forced the Sumerians to cry "Uncle!" Maybe they'll be able to do without us someday. Maybe some mad enius with myopia, a bulging forehead, and a cybernetic mind will devise a weapon that can go down a hole, pick out the opposition, adn force it to surrender or die--without killing that gang of your own people they've got imprisoned down there. I wouldn't know; I'm not a genius, I'm an M.I. In the meantime, until they build a machine to replace us, my mates can handle that job--and I might be some help on it, too.””

Robert A. Heinlein

About This Quote

Source Novel: Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein, 1959

The passage contrasts impersonal, massive destruction with the intimate, selective violence of infantry, emphasizing the human element in war and the enduring role of foot soldiers despite technological advances.

In simple terms: War can be massive or personal; foot soldiers bring direct, selective force.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the human cost and value of personal combat.

Themes

war technology humanity military ethics

Mood

reflective critical thoughtful

Type

military philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

  • ground combat
  • modern warfare
  • ethical debates
  • military training
  • future weapons

Key Concepts

personal warfare selective force technological change

Questions to Reflect On

  • Will future weapons eliminate the need for infantry?
  • How does personal combat affect moral responsibility?
A Different Perspective

Technology may replace some roles, but personal combat remains ethically complex.

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