LONDON: “There is no power in the world more completely inspired with the idea of its dominance than the British Empire. Even the word Commonwealth as substitute for the word Empire sticks in Churchill’s throat every time he tries to utter it,” thus observed George Bernard Shaw in an interview to the Sunday Pictorial.

Another question asked by the paper was: ‘When Germany is defeated and forced to accept the Allied terms of unconditional surrender would you advocate the inclusion of Nazis who have not committed criminal acts in negotiations for a provisional Government?’

Shaw replied: ‘What a question! What do you mean Nazi? What do you mean criminal acts? Why do you start with unconditional surrender then end with negotiated surrender? Nazi is a short form of National Socialism. Without a good deal of national socialism and communism no modern state could exist for a week. There is no such distinction as you imply in Nazi principles and allied principles; we are all national socialists nowadays more or less.

‘As to criminal acts such terms don’t apply to war operations. However highminded, patriotic, heroic and philanthropic motives of war may be its facts and acts are villainous and suicidally anti-civilisation.’ (Dawn, Delhi)

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2014