For Mike and Peggy Rodgers,
a sailor and his lady - and all the men and women
of the U.S. Armed Forces, because the noblest
of ideas have always been protected
by warriors

The two contenders met, with all their troops, on the field of Camlan to negotiate. Both sides were fully armed and desperately suspicious that the other side was going to try some ruse or stratagem. The negotiations were going along smoothly until one of the knights was stung by an asp and drew his sword to kill the reptile. The others saw the sword being drawn and immediately fell upon each other. A tremendous slaughter ensued. The chronicle ... is quite specific about the point that the slaughter was excessive chiefly because the battle took place without preparations and premeditation. (Herman Kahn), On Thermonuclear War