Real War Term Paper

Old Breed

In real war, soldiers have been ripped from their families, surviving, sometimes barely, in foreign surroundings. The author of With the Old Breed repeatedly states he "just wanted to survive," (p. 186), which underscores the fact that cinematic versions of war often overplay the elements of honor and pride and downplay the more real, mundane, everyday feelings and experiences. In fact, Sledge notes that he did not want to be "burdened with responsibility" of being a commanding officer. It was better to be a mortarman, because then just surviving would be a victory. Therefore, the "real war" was the reality on the ground, and according to E.B. Sledge, it was "terribly depressing," (p. 180). This paper will demonstrate that the "real war" is to be found in the often mundane and "depressing" experiences of its soldiers, and will also discuss the counterpoint of idealized heroism.

Real war is a multisensory experience, which is why Sledge's memoirs remain salient. Sledge captures the smells, tastes, and smells of war: and this is what truly comprises "real war." For example, in "Prelude to Invasion," he discusses one early morning when he saw the dawn's early rise set to a soundtrack of the "drone of enemy aircraft inbound to the attack," (p. 201). If it were not a war scenario, Sledge would have been enjoying sunrise, perhaps with his wife, in a remote tropical island. Instead, he is in the midst of a war.

Then, Sledge reminds readers that the elements of real war include the physical toll endured by the body. For example, he describes how his bowels were "cramped by fear and apprehension," (p.201). He often observes the dirt and dishevelment on his fellow soldiers. Real war is full of surprises and shocks that the body and mind both have trouble enduring. One day, Sledge is relieving his bowels in a trough-like toilet when a kamikaze crashes into the deck above him. The narrow miss seems miraculous, but in the moment there was nothing romantic about escaping death. The situation was as grim and dire as any a human being can find himself in.

Films like Saving Private Ryan capture some of the "depressing" elements of a real war. Many offer realistic depictions of the violence that take place. However, too many films about World War Two are intent on depicting the war as "the good war." This is because the American mythos relies on the propagation of propaganda related to the superiority of the United States, especially since its rise to global superpower status. The United States was reluctant to enter World War Two, and after it did, it entered the war in full force. The "real war" from the "good war" perspective stresses the role of the United States as world police and moral enforcer. The United States depicted its enemies as existential threats, as it continues to do today.….....