"These doomsday warriors look no more like soldiers than the soldiers of the Second World War looked like conquistadors. The more expert they become the more they look like lab assistants in small colleges"

This quote by Alistair Cooke is a commentary on the altering face of warfare. He is comparing the soldiers of the Second World War to the modern-day doomsday warriors. He is suggesting that the modern-day warriors look more like lab assistants than soldiers. He is indicating that the more skilled they end up being in their field, the more they look like lab assistants in small colleges. This is a reflection of the altering nature of warfare, where technology and science play a much bigger function than physical strength and nerve. Cooke is suggesting that the modern-day warriors are more concentrated on the technical elements of warfare than the physical elements. He is likewise indicating that the modern-day warriors are more knowledgeable and better equipped than the soldiers of the Second World War.