THE BODY OF THE SACRIFICED SOLDIER CREATES THE REALITY OF THE NATION

In war, the body and blood of the sacrificed soldier gives rise to the reality of the nation. Killing and dying substantiate the idea that nations exist. The sound and fury of battle convince us that something profound and real is occurring. Battle—the bodies of dead and wounded soldiers—anchors belief in material reality, persuading us that countries are more than social constructions. Surely we think, human beings could not, would not, kill and die in the name of nothing.