Звездный десант
Chapter 7
Itisn’tatank—butasingleM.I.privatecouldtakeonasquadronofthosethingsandknockthemoffunassistedifanybodywassillyenoughtoputtanksagainstM.I.Asuitisnotashipbutitcanfly,alittleontheotherhandneitherspaceshipsnoratmospherecraftcanfightagainstamaninasuitexceptbysaturationbombingoftheareaheisin(likeburningdownahousetogetoneflea!).Contrariwisewecandomanythingsthatnoship—air,submersible,orspace—cando.
"Thereareadozendifferentwaysofdeliveringdestructioninimpersonalwholesale,viashipsandmissilesofonesortoranother,catastrophessowidespread,sounselective,thatthewarisoverbecausethatnationorplanethasceasedtoexist.Whatwedoisentirelydifferent.Wemakewaraspersonalasapunchinthenose.Wecanbeselective,applyingpreciselytherequiredamountofpressureatthespecifiedpointatadesignatedtime—we’veneverbeentoldtogodownandkillorcaptureallleft-handedredheadsinaparticulararea,butiftheytellusto,wecan.Wewill.
Wearetheboyswhogotoaparticularplace,atH-hour,occupyadesignatedterrain,standonit,digtheenemyoutoftheirholes,forcethemthenandtheretosurrenderordie.We’rethebloodyinfantry,thedoughboy,theduckfoot,thefootsoldierwhogoeswheretheenemyisandtakeshimoninperson.
