Read this sentence from the text:

And this great crisis was only the bursting into flame of many smaller fires that had long been smoldering.

The author uses a metaphor comparing the crisis of war to fire to show that

A. Ongoing disagreements can quickly erupt into a larger conflict

B. Conflicts can be easily extinguished over time

C. It is difficult for smaller conflicts to spread to other areas

D. It is important for conflicts to develop slowly so they can be resolved