Commentaries on the Fourth War, Conclusion

This is the Conclusion of Sir Edrington W. Grunwald's book, the Commentaries on the Fourth War.

Conclusion
Throughout this work, I have made a series of arguments about the chronology of the Great Wars and how this is the ‘real’ Fourth War, the Banshee Queen’s logic behind her instigation for war, the nature of Azerite and its role in this conflict, the moral death of the Horde and the threat of barbarity within the Alliance, and now my final argument: this war, as I see it, will only end in brutal stalemate. It is not that I lack confidence in the Alliance’s military ability, but rather that Azerite, combined with a willingness and spirit of ultimate destruction in the wake of Teldrassil and Lordaeron, will create the conditions for a grinding conflict that may result in an inconclusive end. Great swathes of territory were exchanged in the war’s opening year, but I interpret this as a simple ‘tit-for-tat’ quid pro quo. The kaldorei lost their home in the west, weakening the Alliance’s only significant power base there. I do not mean to offend the fair draenei, but Azuremyst Isle is by no means the veritable fortress that was the World Tree. In turn, the Forsaken have lost their foothold in Lordaeron, although they have left that land useless and barren for future generations just as Teldrassil was left burnt and in ashes. This kind of destructive warfare, where nothing is left for the enemy, evokes the scorched earth tactics of the First and Second War. Then, the Horde only plundered what was useful and left nothing remaining, and need I remind the reader that it has been only very recently that Stormwind has recovered from the losses suffered during the Great Wars. It was not so long ago that the capital was nothing more than ruins – the present course of the Fourth War threatens to do the same.

Total war is a viable stratagem, but I do not write these commentaries to support the complete violation and destruction of this world. After ten years of military service in the name of His Majesty, my retirement from the armed forces has enlightened me to an astonishing reality: blind prejudice, insatiable bloodlust, and a tendency towards extremes make us, the Alliance, no better than the Horde in that regard. Furthermore, let me make it clear that although I have traditionally been a staunch political conservative, my views on the many of the Horde’s races have softened. I do not see any hope for reason with the undead, for they are as inhumane as their Banshee Queen. But if the words and actions of Varok Saurfang and the other races, such as the trolls, the tauren, the sin’dorei, and Huojin pandaren, are any indication, there may be hope yet for redemption. Just as King Anduin has consistently called for an end to Queen Sylvanas’ reign, word has reached us that many among the Horde see such similarly. Perhaps their views are not in perfect alignment, but it is not so outlandish an idea to think that this war is being spearheaded by extremist minorities on both sides and instigated by a single power-hungry tyrant – Sylvanas Windrunner. Now, before I am criticized for calling the siege of Lordaeron aimless, let me declare that the reasoning behind the invasion was sensible. King Anduin, as I mentioned before, rightly saw the death or capture of the Banshee Queen as an expedient way to end the war quickly. While the plan failed, this does not mean that we should surrender in that goal. Make no mistake – I am an Alliance patriot, and I am confident that our folk will fight wherever and whenever they must to the bitter end. I am sure that the Horde will do much the same.

But victory will not be attained by engaging the other in brutal pitched battles. The Horde and the Alliance, particularly now with the arrival of new allies and Azerite, are evenly matched. The intensity of this war will test the resolve of the Alliance, and I call to all those with any power to maintain a modicum of dignity and civilized respect. I have committed my fair share of atrocities and plunged my soul to darkness all in the name of King and Country, so I can resolutely say that this is not the way to victory. If we wish to profess unity and order, then let us act it! The bonds and strength I witnessed on the fields of Lordaeron were a testament to the Alliance’s strengths – but I fear that the bloodthirsty attitudes of others, namely those conservative warmongers whose appetite for suffering cannot be sated, will be our people’s downfall. As for the Horde, I am no expert on their kind. I believe, however, that their collective dismay at the strategies deployed by their Warchief will continue to alienate the Banshee Queen from her people, thus opening a gap which the Alliance must exploit. So, let us not descend into barbarity as the Horde have time and time again. We must offer the hand of freedom and peace – the promise of a conclusive end that does not end with the ultimate destruction of one side. The Horde, as hard as it may be to accept, will remain on Azeroth for the foreseeable future. We have long crossed the threshold of ridding ourselves of the other races, for now it would be a grim task of genocide to do so.

Countless more fronts will spring up in the coming years, and I foresee a decades’ long conflict if we choose to meet the Horde with only revenge in our hearts and prejudice clouding our logic. Let us defend hearth and home, and may future generations judge us as people of good moral virtue undertaking the grim task of war – not massacres and senseless killing. Let us protect our world, and may our children have land to still call their own and not barren wastes or earth stripped of every valuable rock and. Let us seek an end to strife by striking out at the dark heart of the Horde, the cancer that is Sylvanas Windrunner and her Forsaken legions, and convert their more reasonable folk to a civilized way of life. I fear that if we do not do so, this war will last a hundred years. But I am no wizard or diviner, and I cannot predict the future that will come. These commentaries are as much an archive of history as they are a critique of the present – a glimpse into our lives for future generations to read and learn from. More volumes will follow, so long as I have life and a willing spirit, and in them, I will continue to catalog accounts and events as I see and live them. Until then, I have only this to say in conclusion.

I fervently pray my predictions are wrong, for although the Fourth War has only just begun, I hope its end comes soon. And with it, I must ask: will we still be able to claim the same moral righteousness when all is said and done?

About the Author
Sir Edrington W. Grunwald, Knight of Stormwind, is a former army officer from the Stormwind Royal Army. Born in the Year 5 of the Lotharian Calendar, Sir Edrington studied at the Royal University of Stormwind, acquiring dual degrees in Engineering and Kingdom Administration. Aside from personal military experience, he is learned in history and military strategy, having authored The Musket Methodology during his tenure in the army. He lives now in Stormwind City with his husband and daughter.