 Would the main character had fought as hard in World War III if he knew that his family would not be home when he returned?
Not even forever [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, April 1958. They had no place in the dust-caked, tired body, yet there they were, seeking, always seeking—searching the clear horizon, and never seeming to find what they sought. They were nearing a river; the water would be welcome on tired bodies and dry throats. Then both man and horse plunged headlong into the waiting torrent, deep into the cool embrace of the clear liquid. Refreshed and momentarily content, he sat staring into the dying fire, seeing the bright glowing coals as living fingers clutching at the wood in consuming embrace, taking all and returning nothing but ashes. Images began to appear, drawn from inexhaustible files, wherein are kept all thoughts, past, present, and future.... World War III had been declared, and he had enlisted, receiving his old rank of captain. "It's for you; so long as you wear it, I'll come back, even from the dead, if need be. When he opened it, he found a picture of her in one side, and in the other a picture of the children. He took her in his arms again, and loosened her long, black hair, burying his face in it for a moment. He had driven off in the jeep the army had sent for him, watching her there on the porch until the mist swirled around her feet and she ran back into the house and slammed the door. His cold fingers found the locket, making a little bulge under his uniform, and the touch of it seemed to warm the blood in his veins. Three days later they had landed in Spain, merged with another division, then crossed the Pyrenees into France, and finally to Paris where the fighting had begun. Already the city was a silent graveyard, littered with the rubble of towers and cathedrals which had once been great. Three years later they were on the road to Moscow. Over a thousand miles lay behind, a dead man on every foot of those miles. The Russians had not yet used the H-bomb; the threat of annihilation by the retaliation forces had been too great. The very feel of the word was everything a battle-weary soldier needed to make him fight harder and live longer. But the planes had passed over, the sun glinting on their bellies, reflecting a blinding light. When the all-clear had sounded, the men clambered from their shelters.
 No, because he would have nothing to come back home to anyways.
 No, because he would be too devastated to fight.  Yes, because he wanted to make sure that he and his men won World War III.  No, because he would have nothing to come back home to anyways.  Yes, because he was adamant on surviving World War III.