“Ten million men mobilized,” Faber whispered in his ear. “But say one million. It’s happier.” In Faber’s statement from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury the author uses an understatement to develop a sense of false happiness. When Faber says “But say one million,” it uses an understatement to tell the citizens a lie. It lies to make them feel like they will win the war. This understatement shows that it should be a happy time, even when it shouldn’t. Furthermore, when Bradbury writes “You could feel the war getting ready in the sky that night,” it shows that war is coming but the people are unaware of it. By using a sense of understatement Bradbury supports his theme of “rebel against a corrupt government.” The sense of understatement supports