How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from From Here to Eternity.
Quote #1
HOLMES: You might as well say stop war because one man got killed.
This is Holmes' callous remark after Prewitt tells him that he quit boxing because he accidentally blinded his friend in the ring. Obviously, they're two completely different situations: boxing is recreational and worth quitting once someone dies. But war is often a struggle for survival, and Prewitt tries to play his part when war with Japan finally breaks out.
Quote #2
ANDERSON: Sounds like they're dynamiting down at Wheeler Field.
BUCKLEY: Mighty ambitious. Sunday morning before—"
This is how the Pearl Harbor attack breaks out. The soldiers are caught totally off guard and misinterpret what's happening, assuming some innocuous military exercise rather than a sneak attack.
Quote #3
RADIO ANNOUNCER'S VOICE: ...This is a real attack, not a maneuver. The Japanese are bombing Pearl Harbor. Please keep in your homes. Do not go on the streets. This is a real attack. Japanese planes are bombing our naval and army installations.
The announcer is warning the people in Honolulu not to go outside. Even though the Japanese were specifically attacking a military installation, avoiding civilian casualties wasn't exactly high on their list of priorities.