J. R. R. Tolkien on the Air Force

But I fear that an Air Force is fundamentally irrational thing, per se.  I could wish dearly that you could have nothing to do with anything so monstrous.  It is in fact a sore trial to me that any son of mine should serve this modern Moloch…  In any case, it is only a kind of squeamishness, perhaps, like a man who enjoys steak and kidney (or did), but would not be connected with the butchery business.  As long as war is fought with such weapons, and one accepts any profits that may accrue (such as preservation of one’s skin and even “victory”) it is merely shirking the issue to hold war-aircraft in special horror.  I do so all the same… –Writing to Christopher Tolkien on December 18, 1944

3 thoughts on “J. R. R. Tolkien on the Air Force

  1. Wayne

    There is no way Tolkien would have said this in ’40 or ’41 during the Blitz, but by late ’44, I could see him saying this.

    Reply

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