Plumes of Smoke

On 15 February 1944, one of the most iconic buildings in European history was destroyed by allied bombers. Plumes of Smoke is a book about the consequences of war, written as war again comes to Europe. It is also a book about what wars are fought for, and about those that make the fundamental decisions that affect us all. The decision to destroy the Abbey of Montecassino was and remains highly controversial. Why was this building of inestimable cultural value so easily destroyed? Was it to win a battle, or to prove the legitimacy of American bombing theory? It is not a story of individual bravery, although this existed aplenty on both sides in the mud and mountains of 1944 Italy, but a story of a battle that has no winners and no heroes. This is a story from 80 years ago that resonates clearly through the decades. In a time filled with arguments concerning the laws and morality of war, this story from the last major war in Europe may lead the reader to understand that little changes. Military Necessity remains the principal excuse for unnecessary devastation. When nations or generals are faced with difficult decisions, when winning becomes more important than the reasons they fought for in the first place, then legal and moral boundaries are often forgotten in the fog of war. It appears that little has improved over the succeeding decades when political convenience trumps moral courage and the importance of our human heritage.