Fight lost - toy army men won

This has been the state of my family room for the last week. Legos have been abandoned and army men have taken over.
I finally gave up the fight and allowed my boys (boy) to play with these plastic toys. I spent years avoiding war games, anything gun related, and general violence. My older son feels his childhood was deprived. It was a loosing battle with my younger son who made every stick he found a weapon. A friend of mine said she gave up when her son chewed his piece of toast into the shape of a gun. So, I finally relented and allowed army men to enter our home.

So, how do I manage this interest? By talking about the realities of war and how fighting doesn't solve our problems, how grandpa fought in Vietnam and that war isn't something to be glorified. I simply keep the dialogue open.

There is really only the setting up of the army men. Once that happens, the interest has waned (kinda like me and my Barbies when I was a kid). Rarely do battles ensue.

This too shall pass, right?

Notice how anything can be made aesthetically pleasing if it is repeated more than 3 times.