Current reading

From above [the aircraft] could inflict immense damage; they could reduce any organised government to capitulation in the briefest space, but they could not disarm, much less could they occupy, the surrendered areas below. They had to trust to the pressure upon the authorities below of a threat to renew the bombardment. It was their sole resource. No doubt, with a highly organised and undamaged government and a homogeneous and well-disciplined people that would have sufficed to keep the peace. But this was not the case. Not only was the government a weak one and insufficiently provided with police, but the destruction of the city hall and other central ganglia had hopelessly disorganised the co-operation of part with part. The public transport system had ceased; the telephone service was out of gear and only worked intermittently. The attackers had struck at the head, and the head was conquered and stunned--only to release the body from its rule. The city had become a headless monster, no longer capable of collective submission. Everywhere it lifted itself rebelliously; everywhere authorities and officials left to their own imitative were joining in the arming and flag-hoisting and excitement of that afternoon.

Sorry for the long post. Remind you of anything in the news recently? It was written in 1907. I've amended it only very slightly (removing references to Germans, airships etc which would give the game away). It's from HG Wells, of course: "The War in the Air", one of his less well-known books. And I find it fascinating how well it fits with recent events. Wells himself wanted his epitaph to be "I told you so. You damned fools." The tone of the book's a little odd to modern ears, with especially the earlier chapters sounding patronising and clumsily comic - but the style improve as the plot thickens. A decent read...