“You don’t like to go to war,” Tony said. “Neither do I. But we know what we’re fightin’ for. We know our country’s worth fightin’ for. But what about these Italians—most of ’em? They haven’t got anything to fight for—against us. They love their country, but not their government. And they know they’ll get shot or starved to death, or their kids will get punished some way, if they don’t fight when the government tells them to. So they fight—but without any heart in it.”
“But you may be killing some of them,” Dick said. “Maybe even some of your relatives.”
“That’ll be too bad,” Tony said. “I don’t want to kill anybody, really. But if you’ve got to shoot a few guys, or even a few million, because some louse who wants to ruin the world has sold them a bill of goods or made ’em go out and try to kill you—then that’s just the only way to do what we’ve got to do. When I shoot at the enemy I’m not shootin’ at any one person. I’m just shootin’ at an idea I hate, an idea that will ruin the whole world if it isn’t stopped. If the other guys are supportin’ that idea with guns, then I’ve got to shoot ’em, that’s all. And it doesn’t make any difference if they’re Italians or not. It doesn’t make any difference if they’re Americans. If any Americans try to make our country like Germany, then I’ll shoot them too.”
Max Burckhardt had wandered up and joined them as they sat under the shade of a palm tree.
“Tony’s right,” the big private said. “But I’m itchin’ especially to get at some Germans, even if my folks were German. I won’t be shootin’ Germans—I’ll just be shootin’ the men who are tryin’ to force on me their way of living, a way I don’t like at all. Since the German Nazis did this more than anybody else, they’re the ones I want to get at more than anyone else.”
There was a moment’s pause.
Dick Donnelly sighed. “Well, you’ll have your chances soon,” he said. “Both of you. You’ll be fightin’ Germans and Italians before long.”
“Say—by the way,” Max said, “I found out what Lieutenant Scotti’s first name is.”
“Why, it’s Jerry, of course,” Dick said. “We’ve known that right along. I always call him Jerry, except when a lot of officers are around, and then I’ve got to use sir.”
“Well, Jerry’s just his nickname,” Max said.