"Master, in one of our discussions about the failure of the League and the United Nations, there was a detail I want to clear up [177. You spoke of saving thousands of lives on D-Day."
"Is not that obvious? Standardisation was the first intelligent act of man (language). It has proved its efficiency in every Way since then. On D-Day and later, there was but the crudest, most primitive attempt at standardisation. Three or four different rifles with different ammunition, pistols and revolvers in all shapes, vehicles in the most utter confusion, the same for artillery and anti-tank weapons. Different systems of signals, of food, of payment, of clothing, equipment and so on. These also caused the same confusion and waste in transport, loading, unloading, and clogging on the beeches. It is a wonder that they came as far as Caen. Besides, most German arms were known to be superior. The men were keen on getting hold of a German Panzerfaust, because it worked. Now, what would one do in planning such a dangerous operation as a landing on a hostile beech in the teeth of a professional army?"
"I would THINK first Master."
"Indeed, and before you go and standardise, you decide what are the best instruments. Why not then copy the German rifle, Panzerfaust, 88 artillery etc. AND provide the WHOLE army with them? But first, why not integrate the army first of all, into a 'World-Army', an INTEGRATE? Even up to the smallest unit, the army could have consisted of the proper mixture of Americans, Canadians, British, French, Poles, Dutch etc. who ALL spoke the same language, had the same equipment, pay, food, signals, and so on. One would think that in 1944, they at least could have learned from the astonishing results of 1939, the German tactics in Air/Ground and Tank/Infantry CO-OPERATION!
And then the stupid applause competition between generals. Fighting for the news media indeed. It all was a ridiculous demonstration of stupidity, but luckily the casualty figure on the first days was not so high."
"Not so high Master? I'd say that..."
"Not so high as the casualties that were needlessly sacrificed at the Arhem stupidity." [177] 6