In 1943, three years into World War II, Orwell wrote "Looking Back on the Spanish Civil War," a long meditation on his memories.

Orwell reminisces about his experiences in the Spanish Civil War. He remembers the foul living conditions, the overflowing latrines, and the poor quality of the meager food. It is often necessary to fight wars to preserve one's life or the freedom of the nation, and war is necessarily evil and vile.

Atrocities are perpetrated by all sides in nearly all wars - the Spanish Civil War was no exception. Orwell has no especial insight into any specific atrocity and instead considers them collectively and only briefly. He notes that the reality of atrocities is rarely considered in the press - only the political implications receive any wide consideration, and the political process is able to create or dismiss atrocities to fit the current political atmosphere's needs. Nevertheless, atrocities are...