The True Story of War, Essay Example

Every individual has their idea of what war consists of. Movies, books, and other depictions of soldier’s leads individuals to see these selfless war heroes as tough individuals who thrive off of combat void of any type of personal fears. This class has personally broadened the idea of what soldiers face, who they are, and the bond that they have with each other that is stronger than anyone outside of their comradery could understands.  When one is forced to put their lives in someone else’s hands on a daily basis, a bond is built based not only on experiences but on survival. These soldiers bonds are reinforced not only during the war but in most cases well after.

The fear that is faced everyday changes what we on the outside view as bravery.  Soldiers walk blindly into situations not knowing if they will walk out alive. They do this together with the intention of protecting their own in the process. Turner addresses how fear can be consuming to these troops, however they have to face it directly. He talks about a soldier almost wishing their death. “Here, bullet I dare you to finish what you started. If a body is what you want then here is bone gristle and flesh” (Turner). This would lead one to wonder how many times soldiers have had to talk each other out of such a mental breakdown. Reminding each other of the bigger purpose and that bravery is not an act void of fear.

Turner worked hard to show the readers what type of conditions he and his soldiers were forced to face on a daily basis during their deployment. A unique factor that he used was depicting the Iraqi citizens as well. War does not only involve soldiers or sides, there are hundreds of thousands of innocent individuals who are put in the middle of a devastating battle. Turner explained that their life consisted often of survival. This means they had to look out for themselves and each other to ensure they all woke up to live another day. This is an extremely scary way to live, and it is important to have a visual of the events of war to understand how it is almost instinctive to depend on other soldiers for not only physical but emotional survival.

It is easy to believe that soldiers go into battle wanting to defend a cause, never thinking they regret their sacrifices. Turner’s book made it clear that he too wanted to believe that the battles, the fear, and the loss of lives was worth it, but he leads the readers to believe that perhaps he is truly questioning that mentality. “It should make you shake and sweat,nightmare you, strand you in the desert of irrevocable desolation, the consequences seared into the vein, no matter what adrenaline feeds the muscle its courage, no matter what god shines down on you, no matter what crackling pain and angeryou carry in your fists, my friend, it should break your heart to kill” (Turner). The tolls of war on each individual soldier, no matter how they make it through the day, they should not walk out of the war the same person they went into it as.

Much like Turner, O’Brien has his vision on the war. A very important factor he added is the fact that soldiers are responsible for carrying loads, sometimes heavy, this refers not only to the physical loads, but the emotional ones as well. This is another area where soldiers depend on others. To aid each other in carrying these loads they have to haul. The Army is known for “humping” items. For civilians this means carrying goods. O’Brien carefully explains that the basic goods that are required for the daily term is not the only thing they carry. Each soldier is essentially “humping” different things. For example one soldier may be carrying their religion, one a condom, and one an article of clothing from his girlfriend. These are represented of the emotional baggage that accompanies them daily. Clearly the load of each soldier is different, some hold more weight than others, requiring more out of the soldier to carry them.

Another means by which the soldiers bonds where strengthened was essentially from the top down. By this O’Brien uses Lieutenant Cross as an example for unification. He carried the duty of keeping all his men alive, everyone who was under his command. “They carried all they could bear, and then some, including a silent awe for the terrible power of the things they carried” (O’Brien). Cross is presented to have the heaviest burden of all, with his own baggage and that of many others. This essentially made him the pillar for which comradery and trust was established in and out of war.

There is no doubt that war changes people. They face situations that are unfathomable to individuals who live outside of their world. However, their battles are real, both in the war and personally. “It’s a hard thing to explain to somebody who hasn’t felt it, but the presence of death and danger has a way of bringing you fully awake. It makes things vivid. When you’re afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world. You make close friends. You become part of a tribe and you share the same blood- you give it together, you take it together” (O’Brien) Groups, bonds, friendships, and the mentality that “we are in this together” goes far beyond a classroom, or a meeting room. It is taken to the height of unification and this is something that would not have been understood had these books not expressed how important that is for these soldiers.

There are inevitably issues that these soldiers face after war. Their friendships are likely reinforced based on the events they have to relive after they return home. Death, injuries, and PTSD. The stressors that war can bring come in many different forms. “Believe it when you see it. Believe it when a twelve-year-old rolls a grenade into the room” (Turner). Waking up to the enemy trying to kill you or seeing innocent people die as a result of an attack that you were involved with. These are factors that would haunt anyone. To try to explain this to someone who never had these experiences would gain empathy for these soldiers but not understanding. This is why in many instances soldiers have nightmares, flashbacks, and other PTSD issues, and never talk to their family or loved ones about their experience. To them “they are fine” but to their fellow soldiers they can tell the true tales of their struggle, because more likely than not they are fighting the same battle.

These soldiers bonds are reinforced not only during the war but in most cases well after. Part of survival inside of war and outside requires the support of others who lived the same experiences. Tim O’Brien and Brian Turner do a great job painting a picture of war and the soldiers that are involved. It takes the pretty image that many civilians allow themselves to believe war is, and makes them see the true picture of war. The picture of soldiers who have loved ones they left behind, gods they pray to nightly, and other emotional things they hold dear provides a new respect for their sacrifices. The fact that they have grown such a bond amongst themselves can be seen. Part of survival depends on the support and protection they receive on the battle fields and outside of them. Of the many things that can be taken from such literature, the biggest change in perception is the need and reliance on each other and their lifelong bonds.

Works Cited

O’Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. Mariner. (2009) Print.

Turner, Brian. Here, Bullet. (2005) Alice James Books. Print.