However, Patton was more than just competitive, some would even say he was crazy. While he was still a cadet at West Point, they would often have target practice. And one of these times Patton walked out onto the firing rang to retrieve the card he had just shot, all the while the other cadets were still shooting. Upon realizing this Patton turned around and stared down those shooting, later in his journal he wrote “Well at least I know I have some nerve” (23). And this wouldn’t be the last episode like this, there were several others. For example, in World War I he stood on the bare top of a tank and rode on the top directly into German machine gun fire. Later when asked why he did such a thing he simply said, “At least I proved to my own
In Soft Spots: A Marine’s Memoir of Combat and Post-traumatic stress disorder, Sargent Clint Van Winkle participated in one of the bloodiest wars in Iraq. Sargent Winkle signed up to protect his country, without truly understanding the reason for the war. He did not know what to expect, what was going to happen, exactly who it was going to happen to, but courageously he was out there waiting on an answer that in fact was never revealed. However, Winkle was a part of that war, which made him agree with the terms that led. He was trained to follow orders, forced to survive, and made a pact to protect the guy to right and to the left of him. Despite being diagnosed with PTSD and the uncertainties of whether the war was worthy or not, he favored
The Milagro Beanfield War, written by John Nichols, demonstrates several themes on life. They range from the interactions of the rich and the poor to the hot arid farming climate in New Mexico. All of which have significant importances in this famous novel. Perhaps the most important theme that is represented in this novel is the idea that people should do what is wright no matter the consequences. People are constantly faced with the choice of right and wrong. What they choose not only effects themselves, but everyone else involved. That is why being true to yourself is being true to everyone. "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? Yet if I am for myself only, what am I?"(p. 1). This theme carries the plot throughout the book.
The short story “The Sniper”, by Liam O’Flaherty and the poem “The Man He Killed,” by Thomas Hardy both use themes of guilt and regret to emphasize how war negatively affects the soldiers fighting it. In “The Man He Killed”, Hardy’s character, a war veteran, wonders what might have happened had he met the man he killed anywhere other than war. The soldier feels a strong sense of confusion and guilt because he realized the man he killed could have been his friend elsewhere. The veteran’s guilt resembles significant similarity to that of O’Flaherty’s character in “The Sniper”. The main character, a sniper in the Irish civil war, unknowingly kills his brother in a battle. The sniper felt remorse even before recognizing the body. The snipers’ sense
Operational leaders see how the individual components of an organization fit together and use those individuals work to make a larger outcome. When they focus on a problem, they think of what works best within the process and systems to make an impact on the situation. These types of leaders play a big part in making sure that things get done in an effective and functioning manner. According to the Army Doctrine ADP 6-0, the Army over time has strayed away from operational leaders and adapted Mission Command, which gives leaders the ability at the lowest level the capability to exercise disciplined initiative in an act of carrying out the larger mission . Mission Command is made up of the following six steps: Understanding, Visualize, Describe, Direct, Lead and Assess, in which a commander is responsible for. General Patton understood the intent of the Battle of the Bulge on different levels, he was able to form a mental image for the course of actions for the allies, enemies and lead his Army into combat while guiding his officers and soldiers to succeed in meeting his intent. The Battle of the Bulge is where General Patton gained one of his greatest military achievements by using his tactical leadership and logistical genius, which in return helped him turn around the main forces and forced the Germans to drive back in their final counter-offensive. General Patton strongly exercised Mission Command by understanding, visualizing, leading, and commanding what was known as the largest and bloodiest battle during World War II.
... military allowed him to take calculated risks that won him the Battle of Quebec. By distracting the larger portion of the French forces, Wolfe was able to get a fair fight upon numbers, but not at all in the sense of military ability. He was not mad, he was a student of war and he was able to excel when it counted the most. When it was told to King George II that Wolfe was mad the king replied with, “Mad is he? Then I hope he will bite some of my other generals!” (May, 25). Not only did Wolfe have the respect of his soldiers, but even that of the king of his country. Patton was considered a madman as well, but at the end of the day results are what count. He died heroically on the battle field, victorious, and will forever be one of the most infamous characters of modern American history.
These instances contribute to his emotional turmoil and hatred towards the Vietnam War. The deaths became constant, and most would learn to conceal their emotions on the subject. One day the Alpha Company was traveling from one village near Pinkville to another. Passing by a herd of cows and many young boys in a field, the soldiers took this opportunity for target practice, just like at Fort Lewis. O’Brien did not shoot, but did so without protest. Amazed at his comrades for their actions and outward pleasure by the smiles on their face (pg. 139). Emotionally the war is changing these men, making them numb to the fact of death, and others who watch and wonder are still apart of the overall effect. He mentions on page 81 that O’Brien has even found himself not knowing when people arrive and when others die. The emotional turmoil has affected him and his officers tremendously in the fact that they have all learned that the death of the vietnamese and possibly of their own, are just apart of the war (pg. 141). Mad Mark, the platoon leader, is described to have no-fear or in other words “insanely calm.” This emotionlessness is apparent when he flaunts a ear he just cut off a person he killed. The other soldiers giggle and find his stunt as amusing, all together confirming that the continuous death has damaged his
When I asked him if he experienced any combat he said; “yes, I experienced some combat. But most of the time I spent in combat was in a tank. Not too much action there.”
of combat is not crazy (Heller 46). The utter simplicity of this “catch” at one-point makes
My Review of Full Metal Jacket In Stanley Kubrick’s film Full Metal Jacket, the emphasis is spotlighted on the carnage of boot camp and the soldier’s life in Vietnam. The life of a soldier is not an easy one, as it requires great diligence and much sacrifice to ensure the safety and freedom to all those who are afraid and those who seek it. Stanley Kubrick makes sure that we see the harshness and ugliness of the Vietnam War as it was made to be seen. The movie starts with the life of boot camp, getting marines ready to be sent and fight over in Vietnam. The relationship between Private Joker and Private Pyle appears when the Drill Sergeant Hartman makes Private Joker the squad leader. Private Joker, is to make certain that Gomer Pyle cleans his act up and bring an end to the burdens that Pyle has put on the whole squad. Although Private Joker is trying his best to clean up the Private Pyle’s mess, he has met his match, and ultimately sees Pyle as a problem. During the scene where everyone in the squad prepares to beat Pyle with bars of soap wrapped in towels it shows that Private Joker is somewhat hesitant at first, but eventually hits Private Pyle multiple times with heavy blows. Analyzing the relationship between the two privates can be said that Private Joker was trying to help Private Pyle as much as he could, until Private Pyle suddenly breaks and it is made clear when Private Pyle is talking to himself while he is cleaning his rifle. Yes boot camp can be living hell for those who are psychologically unfit and not able to cope during times of great stress, and this can often make certain people “snap”. Stanley Kubrick does a fine job focusing on the stresses of boot camp, especially as this is a time of war and thousands of ...
On February 16, 1944, “Major Hoey's company formed a part of a force which was ordered to capture a position at all costs” (Veterans Affairs, "Charles Ferguson Hoey," 2014). The territory was well protected by machine gun and rifle fire. Major Hoey led his company to their objective. Along the way, Major Hoey was shot at least twice in the leg and head, but he still took a Bren gun from one of his men and fired from the hip. He pushed on very quickly and his team was falling behind. Hoey captured the enemy’s position first and killed all of the enemy soldiers residing in that location, until he was fatally wounded. Hoey received this award posthumously for his “outstanding gallantry and leadership, his total disregard of personal safety and his grim determination” (Veterans Affairs, "Charles Ferguson Hoey," 2014).
Being one of the most controversial generals of World War II and in American history, General George S. Patton is today regarded as a folk hero due to the eponymously named 1970 film, Patton. Well known for his aggressive battle strategies, charismatic personality, profane language, and contentious public comments, Patton often brought forth an amalgam of frustration and admiration among his colleagues and soldiers. His posthumous biographical film which details a section of his life is, for the most part, historically accurate in both its telling of World War II battles and of Patton’s personality, ambitions, and beliefs. However, where the film suffers primarily is the slight oversimplification of Patton’s disposition
In the short story “The Sniper” by Liam O’Flaherty, the sniper is a man caught in a tragic situation. First of all, when the sniper had killed the old lady and the man from the turret, the text states, “The sniper looked at his enemy falling and he shuddered. The lust of battle died in him. He became bitten by remorse” (O’Flaherty 214). This states how the sniper feel guilty or responsible for the enemies death even though he was only doing his job. As he shivered, he feels sorrow for the death of them yet has to keep doing his job. In addition, the end of the story shows how the sniper reacts when he finds out who the enemy sniper he had killed was. The author writes, “Then the sniper turned over the dead body and looked into his brother’s
In a time of war honor will have people choose to join the war and is a reason to try to stay alive during war. Why Men Love War shows us that from a first person view of William Broyles Jr. journey through the Vietnam War. Broyles said “I loved it. I loved it, and I can’t tell anybody.” This shows us that he loved war and for reason we will never know. One reason he can not tell anybody
O’Brien showed the war was unjust and dangerous through his depictions of the day to day activities of the soldiers in Vietnam. The everyday activities were horrific experience that included marching through trails and rice paddies, moving from village to village, digging foxholes, and night watching. One of the most dangerous activities was marching in the jungles of Vietnam. They were filled with hidden booby-traps and hidden enemies. Soldiers had to watch their every move and every step to avoid danger. They had to watch for the snipers, ambushes, and punji pits (O’Brien 26). The soldiers had to have their full attention on marching and their captain, or they get distracted which can cause them not to be prepared to take action and fight. Both O’Brien and his friend, Erik, were strongly opposed to the war. They expressed that the
The thirty-fourth president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, once said, “I hate war as only a soldier who has seen its brutality, its fatality, and its stupidity.” This quote and pertains to the sniper since in the short story Liam O 'flaherty declares about a young man in the story is on a roof fighting in the civil war in Ireland. O 'flaherty writes this short story about a sniper fighting in the war to describe how brutal warfare is. One way that is used to describe how horrible combat is. Liam describe how the warrior has not eaten for a long period of time, and when he finally does get to eat he only chows down a small sandwich. O’flaherty writes this to describe the brutality of warfare and what a soldier