Sleepwalking into war is a revolutionary concept
Kenan Malik’s review of Christopher Clark’s book,
Revolutionary Spring, on revolution is interesting (Culture, 19 May).
However, the idea of sleepwalking into a war is rather problematic.
It is hard to believe that German solders were sleepwalking into neutral Belgium on 4 August 1914; they weren’t marching while sleepwalking and they were not fitted with guns while sleepwalking.
Anyone who knows war knows countries do not sleepwalk in war. German arms factories were not making rifles and battleships while sleepwalking. Russia did not sleepwalk into Ukraine. Even Robert McNamara knows the US did not sleepwalk into Vietnam.
One could argue that Clark got it wrong on war. He also might have got it wrong on revolutions. Thomas Klikauer Sydney, Australia
Opinion
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2023-06-02T07:00:00.0000000Z
2023-06-02T07:00:00.0000000Z
https://theguardianweekly.pressreader.com/article/282338274256298
Guardian/Observer