Commentary At its core, war is a contest of wills, and one side wins by imposing its will on the enemy. That was the case in ancient times and remains true today. Throughout history, the process of imposing one’s will on the battlefield has been brutal and savage. But as military technology advanced during the 20th century, some military officers and strategists began wondering if these innovations could be used to make war less lethal. In the years leading up to World War II, a group of American military men dubbed “The Bomber Mafia” asked this exact question. Led by Gen. Haywood Hansell, this group believed aircraft might be the answer. Specifically, they thought precision bombing from the sky could destroy key strategic targets, such as industrial hubs, without killing unnecessarily. It was a kind of idealism: war without casualties (or at least limited casualties)—an idea that continues to attract some …