War Has Affected My View Of War - 1426 Words

Literature of War has affected my view of war considerably by facilitating a more in-depth study of war. In this class we have looked at everything from the fear of running from battle in the Civil War, to the weight of the equipment soldiers carried in Vietnam, but the one thing that has remained constant is war’s impact on the humanity of the soldiers. War is an ancient concept that has bloodied history since the beginning of civilization. Even with the changes to the ways in which wars are fought, technologically and otherwise, the effect on soldiers is a constant. This can be seen when one looks at the camaraderie of soldiers, how they look at death, and the burdens that soldiers carry. The camaraderie of the soldiers is unlike†¦show more content†¦Like most families, the soldiers do not always get along. Their bond is like that of siblings, they fight and argue, but when things get tough they have each other’s back. As Sargent Baker described, â€Å"you know, we might argue with each other there might be people in our unit that we might not get along with and stuff. But when it comes, you know, time for that, you know that stuff doesn’t matter anymore.† (Sargent Baker) The attachment that soldiers create is strong and long lasting, but it is made with the knowledge that it could be forcibly ended at any time. That which creates this special bond also creates an inherent flaw in the bond. The soldiers create a relationship that it is based predominantly on shared experiences in the most savage of circumstances. They are very close as long as they stay together, support each other, and continue to build on their shared experiences. However, if they are separated and no longer there to support each other through such stressful times, there is nothing else in their relationship to keep them together, and their relationship will become stagnate if not fade. This weakness in the relationship actually enables the soldiers to cope with losing a comrade and being separated from their unit. O’Brien describes this very well when he said, â€Å"I felt close to them, yes, but I also felt a new sense of separation. My fatigues were starched; I had a neat haircut and the clean, sterile