A Review Of Citizen Soldier Essay Research — страница 3

decorated foxholes, men in burnt-out buildings enjoyed feast of scavenged goods. The very terrain in which they fought provided a setting fitting the occasion, the tall green trees, pure white snow and the stillness of nature. With all of this the war continued. Bombing runs continued, Ambushes conducted and foxholes dug and men died. This chapter highlighted the mental and emotional anguish war places on the individual. Part Three Chapter 10 Years of technological advancements altered the conduct of WWII enabling Armies to kill around the clock. The once secure darkness now added to the dangers of combat. Warming fires could not be lit; the slightest noise arose suspicion and tension. The endless existence of front-line soldiers in foxholes isolated them from partners and

friends. Constant exposure to weather effected the health of these units. The inadequacies of the Army supplied equipment and the lack of empathy on the part of leadership only intensified these conditions. Soldiers faced constant vigilance having a toll on their mental states. Ambrose quotes Gray?s fitting statement in ?the tyranny of the present?. Soldiers passed the time by creating games or stretched simple tasks as much as possible for fear of having nothing to do. Ambrose quotes a Sargent who keenly grasps the chapter in his single statement Holding the line didn?t mean just sitting in foxholes waiting for something to happen. It meant a continual battle against trench foot and mental depression, sweating out artillery barrages which the enemy habitually sent in at chow

time and nights which were lighted with flares and flashes, fighting off enemy patrols…[but most of all] it meant hours and days of deadly boredom An essential part of the soldiers? ability to deal with these difficulties was his buddy. These men bounded like no other friends. They learned of each other?s histories, desires for the future and fears of the present. The necessity for these bonds comes at a cost since war brings death at a random pace. Friendships are broken in gruesome ways having long and lasting effects on those unfortunate to experience such devastation. As one interviewed soldier put it ?You have to keep going…There was no time to mourn the dead, even if they were good friends?. Through all of this, soldiers continued, fully aware of the consequences if the

failed to do so. Chapter 11 As with many beuracracies the Army was entrenched with certain method, many of which were not logical or efficient. The Army?s method of ?replacement and reinforcement? was one such system of inefficiency. In-theater forces became drastically reduced in number. Replacements came from rear echelon units or from new recruits from states-side. The training for these new combat soldiers was largely incomplete and inadequate. Many soldiers were inexperienced with their weapons even as they arrived on-line. Eisenhower?s method of dispersing these new soldiers was to deal them out individually, sacrificing any comradery established as well as introducing these outsiders to already cohesive units. These inexperienced and lost soldiers were not afforded the

tools and knowledge needed to last through such conditions. Many were killed due to details or combat they did not know. Ambrose gives us an example the benefits of this ?greenness?, at least in one case. A new platoon leader (PL) was given the assignment of capturing a home. The PL proceeds to simply walk up to the house, knock on the door and seemingly explain his request to the German sergeant who answers the door. The German sergeant gathers his men as well as the Americans in the area, and without a shot being fired, the Germans formally surrenders to the American commander. Ambrose points to leadership?s emphasis on ?quantity ahead of quality? as the reason for the needless loss of many lives. The failure to train, the lack of R&R afforded to frontline units as well as

the failure to promote communication between those with and without experience are key reasons behind such needless losses. Chapter 12 In this chapter Ambrose reminds us that there were others who suffered through this war and here he highlights those involved with the Air War. Many may see pilots and aircrew as having a somewhat easier time than the foot soldier but the reality is that they too faced the horror of combat. The torment aircrews went through may not have been similar to that of ground warriors but they were none-the-less were tormented. Each bombing mission or escort mission had to face an enemy who was not eager to let such missions continue. The Germans would send up their own fighters or screens of flack to try and knock the planes from the air. With such