Analysis of With The Old Breed by E.B.Sledge - Book Report/Review Example

E. B. Sledge reveals the harsh realities that they had to endure and the decisions they had to make to survive those tough situations. The Pacific campaign was a war that was so famous that movies and books have been written about it.

But in this book, Sledge endeavours to reveal some of the things that are rarely revealed in other war books or war movies. He writes that this war was very brutal. Both of the groups, the Americans and Japanese, hated each other, and instances of abuse of prisoners of war were rampant. He mentions instances where Japanese soldiers would mutilate dead American soldiers and also one instance where an American soldier removed a gold tooth from a Japanese who was still alive. He was wounded and critically ill, therefore could not give a decent struggle.

“As the Marine drove his knife into the still live soldier, he was promptly shouted down by Sledge and others in Company K, and another Marine ran over and shot the Japanese soldier, then the Marine took his prize and drifted away” (Sledge, 120). Sledge tried to refrain from extracting gold teeth from Japanese soldiers, but he mentions that there were instances when his curiosity and peer pressure won the day. He recounts an instance where his curiosity got the best of him. He was kneeling to extract a gold tooth when an arm touched his shoulder and pulled him back.

“What are you going to do, Sledgehammer? asked Doc Caswell. His expression was a mix of sadness and reproach as he looked intently at me." (123) Caswell then told him that removing gold teeth can lead him to get infections. “Reflecting on this episode after the war, I realized that Doc Caswell didn't have germs in mind, he was a good friend and a fine, genuine person whose sensitivity hadn't been crushed by the war. He was merely trying to help me retain some of mine and not become completely callous and harsh." (124) These are some of the harsh realities of war that they had to face constantly.

He mentions that a Marine is constantly faced with two things, fear and filth. It was hard for a Marine to stay dry because most of the battles were fought in muddy places, and rain was a regular visitor. Fear was common because the enemy learns to adapt to the tactics of the Marines, and hence learns to use the strategies of the Marines. This means stealth battles were common, so each soldier has to live in a state of constant apprehension because an attack could occur at any moment. It was common for an individual that had fought in many wars to be mentally challenged.

Most of the soldiers lost their moral tendencies, leading them to regard human life at the same level as that of an animal. The book progresses to explain the day-to-day life of a Marine soldier, the food they eat, the activities they do during each day, and also the battles they face. The battles were mostly in jungles, they stayed there for a long duration of hours fighting. Breaks were rare, and sleep was not an option when battles were taking place. Unlike other authors, Sledge does not seek to glorify war; he aims to share with the world the things they went through.