My Virtual Reading Room

Translation of the transcript:

Have you ever had to "fulfill your international duty"?

I have, plenty, and three things have become clear to me in the process:

First, the war is initially an impasse, and then, a catastrophe.

Second, any war, even if it's a hundred-year war, ends only in one thing, diplomatic talks and a peace treaty. Therefore, this question has come up recently, about whether it's worthwhile to pile up a mountain of dead bodies, to produce so many widows, orphans, disabled persons, turn to dust the results of the hard work of the previous ten generations, only to sit down at the table afterwards and come to an agreement. Perhaps, instead, we should leave that uncivilized part out altogether?

And, third, every mother, when she has a child, for her, whether he's named Ivan or Mohammed, that doesn't matter, for her, he's the best person in the world. And so that naturally existing life shouldn't be cut short by a bullet or a piece of shrapnel.