E. B. Sledge's War Experience - Term Paper Example

E. B. SLEDGE’S WAR EXPERIENCE Department E. B. Sledge’s War Experience. With the Old Breed is the of a critically acclaimed book written by Eugene Sledge. Reading the book makes it clear that Sledge is both an apt storyteller and astute historian at the same time. A definitive history is provided because the horrors of the war are skilfully portrayed in the book. It is narrated how the author fought at Peleliu and Okinawa and what pressures and obstacles he had to encounter in the process of defending himself and his country. Sledge was part of the 1st Marine Division which is famously associated with the war. The book has been frenetically explored by critics since it was first published from multiple angles. The purpose of this research paper is to tie the author’s experience of WWII with the experience of other military people who have remained involved in other US wars during the 20th century. This comparison of different war experiences will help to define the extent to which Sledge’s account of war can be considered reliable. Following discussion will also provide evidence from the original text to augment Sledge’s war experience. Also, value added by Sledge’s historical account to the history of America will be explored. According to Sledge’s description of how he trained to participate in WWII on behalf of America, it is clear that he had a great fervour and enthusiasm to work as a soldier. Him and other men “were too excited to sleep”i. He also claims in the book that he was least concerned with all the casualties reported to have been occurred during the war and that he along with his men could be crippled in youth. The only thing he was most concerned about was if or if not he would be able to perform his job to the fullest under fire. Such was the excitement of a young boy who was keen to participate in the war. Sledge was naively optimistic, but perhaps it is important for military people to be that optimistic to join the war fearlessly. This is because if one lets one’s fears to register, one cannot get overseas into combat like Sledge did. According to the author, “it was the naïve optimism of youth”ii which did not discourage him from joining a war which had already consumed lives of millions around the globe. The struggle for survival is frequently explored in the memoir. It is claimed that military men had to struggle for life day after day lying in a foxhole until the point that “time lost all meaning”iii. Though war is a brutish and horrid business, but it was this commitment to defend the country in which Sledge and other men lived which helped them go through that horrific business. Now, if we consider the war memoirs of another US soldier, John McCutcheon, many striking similarities are found between his war experience and that of Sledge’s. McCutcheon experienced a war which went on to change the course of American history. It was the Philippine–American War which started in 1899 and ended in 1902. The US occupied Philippines at the end of this war and it was not until after WWII that the US granted independence. McCutcheon wrote down daily accounts of war and other affairs in his diary. At one point, he claims that the confidence of American soldiers was wonderful. They were all enthusiastic, just like Sledge, to join the war and they believed that “the American fleet will promptly silence the Spanish batteries, and that the conquest of the city will be swift”iv. The pressures during war encountered by all participants are well highlighted in the book just like in Sledge’s book. Like Sledge talks about these pressures several times equating them to entering “the meat grinder”v, McCutcheon also claims in his memoir that “the strained pressure continued to build as our squadron steamed deeper into the enemy’s lair”vi, which shows how tension picked momentum as the American soldiers neared the enemy zone. His memoir suggests that the US soldiers were as committed to reach their objective in this war as other soldiers were in WWII as suggested by Sledge’s memoir. According to Sledge, getting out of the war seemed less and less likely with passing time as the soldiers went deeper and further into fighting. The number of casualties also increased which contributed to generating feelings of hatred for the war in the hearts of many people back in America. However, the author claims that those people who vehemently criticized the war had no idea what men in action were going through. The fighting just seemed to go on and on with the result that time lost all meaning and same can be said for life, too. The increasing pressures made all men actively engaged in the war transgress the code of civilization and in author’s words, “made savages of us all”vii. It was this kind of lifestyle lived by soldiers and the kind doomed environment tolerated by them which was totally incomprehensible to criticizing people living in the safety zone like “service troops and civilians”viii. There was no concept of tranquillity, but a growing sense of distress made worse by the looming prospect of tragic demise. Similarly, it is identified by McCutcheon that war made it very difficult for all men to stay concentrated and as passionate as they were before the main action. There was no sense of tranquillity, but “jets of flame poking through heavy clouds of acrid smoke”ix. This shows that like many other things, one emotion in particular is shared by all soldiers engaged in any war in any time period, a sense of not knowing what may happen next and an impending doom. Sledge’s accounts of war suggest that the only bright thing amidst much darkness was his comrades’ display of bravery and devotion. That was the only factor which kept soldiers moving forward with war and life. Still, it was difficult to accept or justify all that was happening around. Valuable lives were getting wasted and their relatives’ concerns were not even registered. Revenge seemed to be the dominating factor and everything else seemed of secondary importance. This suggests that as passionate Sledge was before actually joining the war and witnessing the real scene, he did not enjoy the same passion afterwards. It is more like he and other soldiers had to continue the project which they volunteered to join even if they did not like it. Sledge claims in his memoir that he came from a country and a nation where human life is valued and individual freedom I supported, yet “to find oneself in a situation where your life seems of little value is the ultimate in loneliness.x” Compared to this picture of utter despair and bleak darkness portrayed by Seldge, McCutcheon’s memoir shows that not all men shared the same despair or were as influenced by the seriousness of the situation in the Philippine–American War. He claims that during the height of action, two men happened to be completely oblivious to bullets flying around everywhere. They took turns firing bullets and playing their guitar and violin. The amusing nature of this incident even made the captain laughxi. Sledge’s account of war shows a journey from wild excitement to clear disgust. In an incident narrated by him, he claims how when he shot down a Japanese man with his gun, his face contorted with anguish. With the death of that soldier, the war suddenly changed into a personal affair. Another thing which happened was how the anguished expression on that man’s face consumed Sledge with feelings of “shame and disgust for the war and all the misery it was causing.xii” Compared to this account of war, McCutcheon’s memoir at one point shows that the US soldiers derived excitement instead of gloominess from “flashes of flame, geysers of water, and clouds of black smoke.xiii” Actually, these things were seen as the rush of excitement by many men. This shows a contrast in the feelings of the American soldiers in two different wars and the way by which they perceived war. However, it is a known fact that WWII was far more deadly and devastating than any other war in the American history or the global history. So, Sledge and his fellow men were bound to feel more depressed than other soldiers who remained involved in other wars during the 20th century. They must have wanted to return to their country as soon as possible. The Vietnam War continued from 1956 to 1975. Oliver Stone has intensely portrayed this war in his movie, Platoon. Instead of presenting the typical image of an American warrior, Platoon compels the public to think how destructive the war has been. Taylor, by the end of the film, is not at all proud of his participation in the war as an American warrior which has hopelessly dehumanized him. This is similar to Sledge’s memoir of war because at one point, he also claims in his book that the war made savages of all men directly involved in the main action. Born on the Fourth of July is another movie which is based on Ron Kovic’s famous autobiography about the Vietnam War. In this movie too, Ron, who serves in Vietnam on behalf of America, is seen yelling in despair about how he had to violate Christian morals in Vietnam by killing innocent people. He becomes increasingly acrimonious as an aftermath of serving in Vietnam. This psychological torment experienced by many Vietnam War veterans highlights many dark aspects of this historical event. Both movies based on the Vietnam War show “how fundamentally wrongheaded the American strategy in Vietnam was”xiv. Similarly, Sledge also claims that “war is brutish, inglorious, and a terrible waste”xv. He made such a claim in his book because due to being actively involved in the war, he knew more than anyone else back in the country that the war had generated more loss than good. The strategy was just as much wrong for WWII as was in case of Vietnam. It is due to such war experiences that research claims that the US history “has been marked by proud achievements and terrible disappoints”xvi. Concluding, the above discussion shows that war is a very tough business for warriors. The US soldiers have had to deal with a lot in different wars during the 20th century. Many similarities can be found in war memoirs of different soldiers who have made a name for themselves for being great storytellers and historians. Some of such similarities have been identified by comparing Sledge’s war experience to experiences of other soldiers who participated in other ward. Many such accounts are so powerful and emotionally overwhelming that they are enough to single-handedly inspire an entire generation. If on one hand, they revive respect for the army in the hearts of millions of common American citizens, then on another hand, they also convey thought-provoking messages regarding how justified the war can be considered. Read More