> On 1 August 1943 an air raid on Rome claimed the lives of a thousand civilians and injured twice as many. A fortnight later, another thousand died in Milan, w

> On 1 August 1943 an air raid on Rome claimed the lives of a thousand civilians and injured twice as many. A fortnight later, another thousand died in Milan, where 3000 buildings were flattened or damaged I sometimes think about how these "great conflicts" reduce multitudes to mere statistics. 1000 here, 1000 there. But they were all people with families and children or parents and jobs and friends.