Yeah, OP doesn't say they didn't happen. Regardless of their initial intentions, I find it difficult to argue that these acts haven't served as a tool of war.

Yeah, OP doesn't say they didn't happen. Regardless of their initial intentions, I find it difficult to argue that these acts haven't served as a tool of war. One must also acknowledge these acts were not isolated. I do not have concrete proof, maybe there is some out there, but the fact of the matter is that scale and their psychological effects are undeniable.