WilliamSherman,UniongeneralintheAmericanCivilWar,followedapolicyofdeliberatedestructionoftheenemyterritoryhepassedthroughinordertobreakcivilianmorale.Inoneinstance,afewofhismenpassedahousewheretheydiscoveredsomechickens.Theyimmediatelyproceededtocapturethem,toincreasethearmy'ssupplies.
Theladyofthehouse,whohappenedtobeathome,beggedtohavethesespared,sayingthatmostofherchickenshadalreadybeentaken.Thesoldiersseemedmoved,butlookingatthechickensagaintheyweretemptedandoneofthemreplied:"TherebellionmustbesuppressedifittakesthelastchickenintheConfederacy,"andproceededtoappropriatethelastone.
美國內戰期間北軍將領威廉.謝爾曼每入敵境,即肆意破壞。這是他摧毀民間鬥志的政策。有一次,他幾名手下途經一棟房子,看見有幾隻雞,馬上動手捉拿,以增加軍隊補給。
房子的女主人當時正好在家,懇求他們放過這些雞,說她飼養的雞大部分已被取去。那幾個士兵似乎動了不忍之心,但轉頭再看看那些雞,還是忍不住誘惑,一人回答說:「南部聯邦即使隻雞不留,這場叛亂都要敉平。」說罷,他們動手捉雞,果然不留一隻。
【附注】Appropriate作動詞,指「挪用」或「擅自取去」,例如:(1)Somebodymusthaveappropriatedmyumbrella(我的雨傘一定是有人擅自取去了)。(2)TheChinesecommunistsmakenoapologiesforappropriatingpeople'sproperties(中共強取百姓房產,還似乎理所當然)。