war machine
in this case, tanks
fuse
a string which is in contact with an explosive; when the fuse is lit, the bomb eventually explodes
dispatch
a newspaper article or other type of documents from a foreign country containing news and information about the war
depression
in this context, economic hardship
private
lowest ranking soldier in an army
rouse
in this case, to provoke
ghetto
a community built in a city, isolated from the rest of the people, where a targeted group of people were sent to live
ilde
without any form of activity
mantelpiece
a structure of wood or stone which is put above a fireplace
monkey business
actions which are sketchy or illegal to some degree