#Definitions

Truculence means a kind of aggressive defiance—being quick to fight, combative, or showing bitter hostility.

If someone is described as “truculent,” they’re not just angry, they’re ready to clash. It carries a sense of raw belligerence, like a stance that dares others to challenge them.

Examples:

• A truculent teenager might snarl back at every parental

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Beirut (reference in Didion’s essays and U.S. discourse)

Annotations

• [Geography] Capital of Lebanon, eastern Mediterranean coast.

• [Historical Context]

  • 1975–1990: Lebanese Civil War; Beirut became symbolic of sectarian conflict and foreign intervention.

  • 1982: Israeli invasion; U.S. Marines deployed as peacekeepers.

  • 1983: Marine barracks bombing killed 241

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