| As far as I am concerned, in stating that war is primarily about resolve, I am doing no more than stating a basic truth, like the second law of thermodynamics. Obviously, although the ability to inflict damage or hold territory matters, it is possible for an inferior force to succeed against an superior force. If the inferior force can minimize its casualties and maximize its damage, it can win, provided that the superior force does not care enough to fight endlessly, or will not invest the means for a decisive victory. If Churchill had not rallied his countrymen during the Battle of Britain, Hitler would have won. If Stalin had not exacted a terrible cost on the Germans, and lured them deeper and deeper into the Russian interior, even though the Soviets were suffering terribly, Hitler would have won. Yes, in the end it took the Americans to resolve things, but the Allies had to have the sheer grit to hold out at crucial periods. |
