Quote by Larry Gelbart, Hawkeye Pierce, M
A war is like when it rains in New York and everybody crowds into doorways, ya know? And they all get chummy together. Perfect strangers. The only difference, of course, is in a war it's also raining on the other side of the street and the people who are chummy over there are trying to kill the people who are over here who are chums.
Summary
This quote humorously describes the paradox of war. It compares war to people huddling together in doorways during rain in New York, where perfect strangers become friendly due to the shared discomfort. However, the key distinction is that in war, while individuals bond on one side of the street, they are simultaneously trying to harm and kill the people they consider chums on the other side. The quote highlights the absurdity and irony of warfare, emphasizing the contrast between camaraderie and conflict in such circumstances.