The following comes from "Two Worlds One Chance" by Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier. I apologize for not sharing it earlier:
Allow me to quote a story told by Rabbi Asher Wade. The story began on an army base in Berlin in 1974. Rabbi Wade, then a chaplain, befriended a Jewish American officer named Stuart. Stuart did not strike him as being a religious man, and so Rabbi Wade was surprised one day to see Stuart wearing a yarmulke [skullcap]. Upon questioning Stuart's reasons for donning this unconventional attire, Stuart told Rabbi Wade this fascinating story.
As part of our first-year studies, cadets were enrolled in a course called "History of Military Tactics and Field Strategies," taught by a three-star lieutenant general with a PhD in military strategy. The course surveyed the major battles in history, including those of the Ptolemies, the Romans, the Middle Ages, and down to the latest battles of our modem era. During the final two weeks of the course, which were devoted to reviewing the material, I raised my hand with a question.
"Why," I asked, "did we not survey any of the battles fought by the Jews, either of ancient times (i.e., Roman-Jewish wars) or of modem times (i.e., Arab-Israeli wars)?"
The normally friendly general snapped back with an order for me to see him in his office after class. Upon entering the general's office, I was ordered to close and lock the door. The general then told me that he could only answer my question in the privacy of his office.
