Wells recognized that these crude novels correctly foresaw modern warfare as aiming at the massive destruction of the physical structures of an enemy civilization and the terrorizing if not annihilating of its noncombatant population. His Martians anticipate with uncomfortable accuracy, for example, American bombings of Dresden and Tokyo, followed by Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and boastful proclamations of "shock and awe" tactics against Iraq.
H.G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds" presents a strikingly prescient view on warfare, highlighting the emphasis on devastating physical destruction of an enemy's infrastructure. The narrative foreshadows not only the conventional battles of his time but also the future strategies that prioritize obliterating entire cities and instilling fear among civilian populations.
Wells' depiction of Martians mirrors real-life bombings such as those of Dresden and Tokyo, leading up to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This anticipation of modern military tactics, including the psychological warfare embodied in the strategies like "shock and awe" used in Iraq, underscores the author's profound understanding of the brutal evolution of warfare.
