Monday, Jan. 26, 1970

End of a War

The leader fled, his subordinates surrendered, and one day last week rebel Biafra ceased to exist. A war was over. The larger significance of that final fact is examined in THE WORLD section, but for America the events in remote Nigeria seemed to possess an unlikely decisiveness. Not since World War II has the U.S. known a war or insurrection that truly, clearly, came to an end--the capitulation signed, the sword surrendered. Not in wars fought: Korea and Viet Nam. Not in conflicts passionately witnessed: Cuba, Hungary, the Middle East, Kashmir. If the Nigerians can resurrect the validity of reconciliation and make a peace that is not war by another name, they may restore an almost forgotten concept to the U.S. arsenal of expectations.

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