Editing Scorched earth (section)

===Thirty Years' War===
In 1630, [[Generalfeldmarschall|Field-Marshal General]] [[Torquato Conti]] was in command of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]'s forces during the [[Thirty Years' War]]. Forced to retreat from the advancing Swedish army of King [[Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden|Gustavus Adolphus]], Conti ordered his troops to burn houses, destroy villages and cause as much harm generally to property and people as possible.:
{{blockquote|To revenge himself upon the Duke of Pomerania, the imperial general permitted his troops, upon his retreat, to exercise every barbarity on the unfortunate inhabitants of Pomerania, who had already suffered but too severely from his avarice. On pretence of cutting off the resources of the Swedes, the whole country was laid waste and plundered; and often, when the Imperialists were unable any longer to maintain a place, it was laid in ashes, in order to leave the enemy nothing but ruins.{{sfn|Schiller|1799}}}}