10 common myths about modern warfare

Articles about modern military conflicts often collect a lot of comments. They are savvy "survivalist" share their experience, based on the clichés of the movies and books, or dreams about nuclear war from Fallout. Less commonly, the war seems similar to the adventure of the old Soviet films. Such discussions are afraid of their aggression and naive notions.

Throw all these templates from the head. War of the twenty-first century has to do with them.

1. During the war, people are starving

Over the past three years I have observed a real problem with food is only one short period of time - at the beginning of active hostilities. They touched mainly the elderly, most poor part of which is spent on deferred funeral money and was forced to beg and beg. I lasted this period no longer than three months.

On mass cases of starvation, I had not even heard. In many respects it is a merit of the various funds. At some point, when the situation has stabilized, an overabundance of free food was such that the pasta, canned expired and spoiled flour dumped in landfills. There was a whole category of hunters sets of humanitarian aid, which killed apartments and garages to food ceiling, performing Night queues everywhere every day, where you can, and then resell these stocks shops and traders on markets.

Is it possible to actual hunger? Yes. But in three years of fighting that was never, even in places where from settlements have less than 10% of the surviving buildings. I often watched deliberately pumped media hysteria, quite distant from reality.

2. All of them live in basements and bomb shelters

Little shelters. Almost all of them with a crooked working ventilation, which is why be inside more than 20 minutes is a problem. In addition, they still need to reach. No advance has never no one warned of a real fire. Appeared only false, specifically to spread rumors that forced most impressionable to go to shelters or basements and sit there.

Before cellars run closer, but they often or very poor condition, or have already bought under someone's warehouses and offices. Running around in the cellars only the residents of the first floor, and parents with children from nearby apartments. Most people are usually limited to what is hiding in the bathroom, porch or just lies down on the floor. And it is much more correct. Chance of surviving so much more than trying to run to bomb shelters or to go down into the cellar during the bombardment and direct hits to the building.

Attacks occur unpredictably. The best thing you can do in this situation - to fall right where you are.

No one lives in the basement of weeks and months. Even residents of very, very (no jokes and pathos) poor places where people should not be, by definition, often in basements or just spend the night down in periods of exacerbation. The rest of the time spend in their apartments and homes, if they survived. With cellars and basements in private homes the situation is exactly the same.

3. Everyone needs to get a personal pistol and machine gun

There is a special category of aggressive and omniscient commentator who know the cold, Firearms and any other weapons, survival techniques and the "killing" of people. Modern war does not look like scenes from a zombie apocalypse or excerpts from cheap books about heroic commandos retired. I want to survive - Go to the mountains or the woods. I would like to fight - go into the army. Being in the middle of a faithful rifle, a knife and a cache of canned food in the forest will not work. I about such characters do not even have heard in real life. Apparently, they survive on the couch, sitting to Facebook.

The lives of people during the war is changing very, very strongly. But at the same time it remains ordinary.

Not all take up arms and go to war. Huge numbers of people continue to live, to work, to bear and raise children, drink, go out and have fun. Children will play in the craters of mines, the students homework to the sound of volleys and arrivals, gardeners plant potatoes under the whistle of bullets and grandmother to go for bread, even during attacks. Gradually, people get used to everything and only responds to very strong stimuli, and the rest simply ignored.

In this everyday military life, you do not need to go into people's houses to get Rainwater filterKill passersby for a backpack with canned food, digging caches and to carry a grenade. You just live with the risk of being killed by shrapnel or a bullet.

Do not listen to the aggressive and arrogant know-alls about the need for personal arsenal, ammo and grenades. These are the first candidates to go to jail. In a situation of war weapons take into the hands of only the military. The rest of it, and if have, sit in silence and do not protrude.

4. Soap stock is needed, matches, salt, suppositories, stew and porridge bag

The minimum amount is convenient and necessary (though better lantern candles: to rub the wax from clothing is more fun), but do not turn into Elijah. Do not create consciously anchors that will hold you in place when you need to drop everything and leave. If a situation arises where there is nowhere to buy food and soap, then there was complete hell. In such cases, remain in some old people or people who have grown roots in this place, ready for any sacrifice, just would not go away from their land.

In all other cases - even when the city was shelled on a daily basis and many, even when there is no electricity, water and communications - shops continue to operate. Small businesses clinging to life until the last, even when all the major chains go, government offices and banks.

5. War makes people better

This is not true. It reveals and accentuates some traits, but in general, people do not change. Who drank the still plump, but stronger. Who was irresponsible and unreliable, it is absolutely useless ghoul. Who in peacetime it was normal, and will remain so during the fighting.

Do not expect any magical transformations. Just your own emotions will become more transparent, clearer and more honest. No longer worry about some meaningless stuff, but will enjoy the simple things like hot water, quiet, without the shots of the day or meeting friends.

6. There are only strong in spirit

Remain in the first place, those who are afraid of change and moving more than war. Who have nowhere to go, people over 45 years old. Survivalist, lone heroes and other lovers of extreme sports or leave the very first, pack your Survival Kit in bags, or pre-converges in the army and making sure that the drill is not for them.

The most surprising is that among those who remained often come across the perfect talent: people with golden hands, able to forge and to do fantastic things, against which products with craftsmen fairs in civilized life look shabby crafts; people with perfect pitch and talented musicians; good teachers and doctors, agronomists and mechanics. In the absence of flashy mediocrity of creative people from the number of white-collar talent of ordinary people are finally visible.

7. My home is my castle

You do not help neither thick walls or iron shutters or high fence. Modern artillery spit in principle to the thickness of the walls. Even those who have spent a suitcase of money for the construction of an underground bunker (and were actually are), as a result of throwing everything and left.

It's one thing to dream about how you will survive comfortably, quite another - to get into a stone cell with the knowledge that is already in 50 kilometers from the shelling goes normal, normal and peaceful a life.

The world is not dead and gone, and you are in your silo is not among the lucky ones. Private air-raid shelter - this is one of the most stupid and useless spending in the world. Worse than just a cache of canned food in the nearby woods.

8. War can change someone's opinion

It can not, has not changed and will not change, no matter how crazy, wild, terrible events occur, a witness to what would become of any person. In 10 cases out of 10 it will remain true to his principles and views. And this is the main madness of war.

Over the years, the view may change, but for three years - no. Gun, shoot straight out of the city 20 meters from the house, - bad, but because it defends us! Bribery, smuggling - nothing, this was always tolerate. The difficult economic situation - we are sure to save and help us!

Man will stand my ground until recently, find an explanation and justification for everything. Such is the nature of people.

9. Children suffer the most from the war

Children by and large do not care about the war. They play and live as before. Chase the ball, played on phones and tablets, make friends, fall in love, they try to smoke and drink. Teenagers dream about sex, fast and big money and a good walk. Most simply do not notice any sounds of gunshots, no arrivals. For them, it's all been background noise like wind. Exception - very strong and close attacks that can enter into a state of stress for both children and adults.

Children - a very bright and comfortable picture for television and photo coverage. They are sweet, innocent and defenseless. Just pick them up from the territory of war - adult task. Uncles and tetenek with cameras, tape recorders, crusts and authority. Pick up, so sorry if, instead of doing an icon for the audience.

10. Alcohol and cigarettes - the best product at the time of the war

Another common fantasy - buy vodka car, hide it, and then sell 10 times as much and become local potentates. Vodka and cigarettes - product, of course, is the time and situation. The more the shoot, the more thumps. Or vice versa, just not answer. Civilian during military operations are beginning to drink a lot. Sober around the clock can not withstand the attacks more than a week. Then flour or discontinue voluntary departure somewhere, or drink.

The problem is that the war is a priori existence of the state machine. And no one will not give you a reason to trade stew, vodka or cigarettes. Register, pay taxes - and forward, in honest business world. But first ask yourself why you are not trading now?

See also:

• How to use mobile phones in combat →
• And if tomorrow the war? That the time to buy before hostilities →
• Where to flee from the war: all about choosing the city to move →