Theme 3: Experience of War

Work 1: Pop Music and the War:The Sound of Resignation written by Jon Pareles
1.

Is music influenced by war?

2. January 2, 2007
3. The target audience for this article is avid music listeners under the age of 30.
4. In our music today we bring up war consistently. Whether it is blunt or hidden it is still there.
People give there own opinions and influence others through music. In pop music they bring up
war frequently but it was extremely common in 2006. Music is a way to express your anger or
love or sadness. After 911 many songs came out that covered all of those emotions. War heavily
influences the music that we have and will continue to influence it for the rest of time. I
remember doing the war music assignment and I don't think I recognized how many songs are
actually about war. I listen to them but I don't really listen and reflect on what the lyrics are
saying. After reading the lyrics of some songs my appreciation grew greater for some. For other
it sort of ruined the song for me because now I am unable to just listen to the song without
thinking about war. I think that this is an important article to read because now I will think more
about what I am listening to. Its a piece of artwork that I have sort of glossed over and now I am
going to work on fully appreciating what the songwriter wrote about.
Work 2: The Gettysburg Address written by Abraham Lincoln
1. Why should we be grateful for the fallen?
2. November 19, 1863
3. The audience was the union soldiers who were fighting to preserve the nation and also for the
rest of America that was struggling with them
4.

Some would argue that this speech was more important than the battle itself. I think this is a
crucial speech that everyone should know. It was a powerful speech that unified the nation. It
goes over crucial points that apply now and that we need to be constantly reminded of. Like all

men created equal. I feel like with the whole refugee situation we don't see them as equal beings
and we aren't helping them as much as we should. Everyone deserves the freedom that we have
and majority of people don't have that. Another important part that was discussed was when it
talked aboutt how the world can never forget what they did here. This is important not only
for the battle of gettysburg but for all of the battles and wars that we are a part of. We need to
take time to remember their sacrifices and the lives that were lost for whatever the cause may
be. Whenever we go over war in history classes all we see is numbers. We never go into detail
of the soldiers who died. Just like we talked about in class with the Time magazine post about
the people who died in Vietnam. It means more to us when we realize those numbers have lives
and families behind them and that they should be honored. Once we think about it that way we
can remember them respectfully and thank them for their lives in our hearts. It then goes on to
say that these dead shall not die in vain. Like earlier we should apply that to all those that
have died in all battles and wars. We shouldn't take for granted the lives that were lost and we
should remember what they were fighting for in the first place. Even though sometimes it feels
like there are so many things that we cant do and that we aren't free but we just have to
remember what it was like before and how many lives were lost so that we could have the
freedom that we do now. This is such an important piece of literature for everyone to know and
not only know but understand.
Work 3: On Glory in Warfare written by Callinus
1. This poem is talking about death that happens during war. The main argument is talking about
how you have a useless death if you run away from war and live a long life. It is talking about
how honorable war death is.
2. This was written in the 7th century B.C.E.
3. The audience of this poem is soldiers who are training for war or currently fighting.
4. The main idea that is conveyed in this poem is very similar to the views that the Japanese have

on war death. In this poem it talks about how there is no escaping death. Someone who is
fighting in a war and runs away to save his/her own life is a coward. Callinus was pretty blunt.
He said that someone who runs away from war to save their own life and lives a long life and
dies in their own house is not missed or loved by the people. Callinus clearly believed that to
die in war or a battle is honorable and should be praised. This is the same way the Japanese
view it. They believe that if you run away from a fight or are captured that you are bringing
dishonor to their families and that you might as well be dead. In their culture they would rather
die and would even go as far as committing suicide to prevent bringing shame to their families.
Making this connection I wonder if the ideas originated from a similar place or if they both are
original just similar. I have never thought of war death as a disgraceful thing but I dont think I
have ever thought about it with such praise. If I was in a war I am pretty sure that I would run
for my life. But when I think about it that way I have a whole new level of respect for the
people who sacrifice their lives no matter how scared they are. No matter how much they want
to run. Instead they stand there and fight for what they believe in. I think it is significant that
two very different groups of people have a similar view on war death. For me it just shows how
honorable it is and that it isn't just an idea pushed onto people by their leaders because it is sort
of a worldwide idea.
Work 4: We written by Karen Swensen
1. What do we do with the death after the war?
2.
3. This poem is written for people who watch the news.
4. Do we ever think about the pictures we are looking at? The piles of bloody bodies. The soldiers
who are fighting just to stay alive. Whenever I am in a history class and I see pictures from a
war, I detach myself. I never fully understand what is happening in the picture. I wasn't able to
personally get to know everyone who passed away fighting so to me they aren't really people.

Its a picture, it doesn't feel real. Until I read this poem I had never even though about the fact
that there is someone behind the camera. Sometimes the photographer manipulates the dead
bodies to tell a story. They also make poor soldiers who as if they haven't been through enough
already pose to prove a point. In all of the news articles talking about death have one thing in
common. The word they. This way we don't feel guilty for what has happened we just blame
someone else. The fact that the photographers manipulate the photos really gets me thinking.
What aren't they telling us? Why do they have to manipulate the story rather than showing us
what is really happening? Are we responsible for something terrible but we just place the blame
on someone else so we don't feel guilty? I think that it is really important for everyone to
understand this. I find myself believing everything that I am told by the news because I consider
it as a reliable source but it really isn't. We as a people need to be more self reliant and less
dependent on important matters such as war. We need to do our research and know what our
country is doing and know who the bad guy really is.
Work 5: How to Tell a True War Story written by Tim O'Brien
1. What is a true war story?
2.
3. I think that this is mainly geared towards students who are learning about war. At this age
people are joining the war and I think that it is important for them to know what they are getting
themselves into coming from a veteran who has actually experienced it is the best way.
4. If you feel uplifted after a war story it was a lie. War is not an uplifting thing. It is actually quite
the opposite. Most of the war stories that you hear aren't true. You can tell it is a true war story
if it embarrasses you. It isn't glamorous. War is dirty and unpleasant. If you don't like obscenity
then war isn't for you. That is the only way to describe what is really going on. The true
stories that come from the veteran are 100% true to them but might not be true at all. Often
times they are afraid to tell what really happened to them because how fake it sounds. It doesn't

sound logical but its how they experienced what happened to them. In a true war story there is
no moral it is just simply stating what happened. War makes you a man but it also makes you
dead. It is the ultimate character builder but for most it is the last character builder they ever
will receive. The stories don't have to be true to be true. This sounds crazy and doesn't make
sense but when you think about it it makes too much sense. The truest of war stories arent true.
It isnt an exact account of something that happened to one person but it is loosely what happens
to countless numbers of people. One of these kinds of stories talks about someone who wrote to
the sister of his dead comrade talking about how great of a person he was. Pouring out his soul
and gratitude for this one person only to never hear back. This has happened to a lot of people
but the best way to convey it is to make up a story with one person. That way you create a
relationship with that person briefly and begin to understand how terrible the feeling of never
receiving a response to a letter while at war. If they were just to simply state that many people
never receive responses it doesn't mean as much. That's how something can be true but not true
at the same time. While reading this article I changed my mind about all of the inspirational war
stories that I have heard in my life. The countless array of inspirational war movies that are out
there while they are great they are at the same time most likely untrue. I never thought of war
stories not having a moral but just being there. Sometimes people read to much into things and
don't just take it for face value. They distort the story to get something out of it.
Work 6: Vietnam: What I Remember written by David W. Powell
1. What is war and life after war like?
2.

March 1995

3.

I think that this is written for everyone who has never been to war and glorifies it. It just lets
you see a portion of what they have been through

4. This entire story is events that come back to his conscious memory uninvited. David Powell
served two tours in Vietnam which would explain why he saw so many horrible things. He talks

about how how he was given a blood soaked jacket and a helmet with a bullet hole in it for his
first equipment and from there it only got worse. All of these horrific memories come back to
him when he is just trying to live a normal life again. He remembers finding a boot with a foot
still in it, brain matter spewed on a barbed wire fence and seeing blood spewing out of open
wounds. He talks about the many times he was betrayed and abandoned while at war. Having
his fellow comrades run past as he lays helpless on the ground. Was abandoned under fire 2
different times. He witnessed a fellow marine shoot himself so he can be evacuated and get out
of there only for him to be returned to the company. He later talks about how he had a hard time
finding jobs that would keep him because of his post traumatic stress disorder. He has been
married and divorced twice and cannot seem to find anyone who will stay with him because of
the damage that has been done from the war. He has no friends and lives away from his
immediate family. By reading this I am beginning to understand what really goes on during war.
Its a chaotic mess of every man for themselves. It eternally messes you up. When you survive
war you don't really at the same time. You might as well be dead because of the PTSD you
relive the war over and over again. You are trapped. You are unemployed, lonely and living in a
constant state of war. Whenever I think of a veteran I just think of someone who went to war.
Simple as that. But now I am beginning to understand what a veteran really means. I have a
whole new level of respect for them and will definitely spend some time on veterans day to
really reflect on what they gave up and are still giving up to this day for my freedom.
Work 7: The War Prayer written by Mark Twain
1. When we pray for victory in war, what are we really praying for?
2.
3. This is written for the upper class and higher middle class people who don't have to go to war
and don't know the real effects of it.
4. This starts off really happy. Showing how uplifted the city is to be going to war. All of the

people are celebrating in the streets. Some jealous that they don't have anyone to send to war.
Music is playing people are smiling and laughing. Then they say a prayer. They pray for the
victory to be granted unto them. Then someone interrupts claiming to have had a revelation.
Saying that their prayer will be answered if the really know what they are praying for. For the
multitudes of people to die just so they can win. No one listens, they call him insane and
continue to do what they are doing. This story is beautiful! Its so true and will be probably
forever. Lots of people glorify war and pray to win. No one understands what comes with the
victory and that is never what we focus on when the battle is over. We always focus on the title
of winner or loser. But really we are all losers. We've all lost people in war. While I read this I
was so upset with the ending. They just brush off the truth and call it crazy! Now that's insane! I
think it is important for everyone to understand that war is a package deal. With victory comes
great loss. It is up to us to decide if the pros out weigh the cons.
Work 8: My Brother, You Must Not Die written by Yosnao Aikio
1. Who deserves to die in war?
2.

Somewhere between1878-1942

3. This is written for the youth that are being sent off to war.
4. This is a poem about someone telling his brother not to die in the battle. He is only 24, he has so
much to live for. He is the favorite child and his father recently passed away. His mother is
hysterical because everyone she loves is gone and she is now all alone. I know that this poem is
talking about not wanting someone to die in a war because he doesn't deserve it but it really go
me thinking. Who deserves to die? Who in the prime of their life deserves to have that taken
from them so that a problem that could have possibly been resolved by talking it out . What is
the point of war? No one really wins. After war comes more war. It never stops. You leave
behind loved ones and so they have to suffer if you die. But if you end up living you now have
to live with the guilt that comes with war, the PTSD and the health issues. This poem only

caused me to have more questions while I read it. I just dont understand why there is such evil
in the world and that killing people is the only way to solve our problems. We are raised being
told that violence is not the answer and then we use violence to solve our problems. Sounds
pretty hypocritical to me.
Work 9: The Last true Story I'll Ever Tell: An Accidental Soldier's Account of the War in Iraq written
by John Crawford
1. Can the people at home handle the truth?
2.
3.

I think that the main audience is the loved ones of the people who are at war. It gives them an
idea of what their spouse, brother, father etc. is going through so they can be more sensitive and
assuring to their loved one who is off fighting.

4. When the Iraq soldier calls his wife for the first time in a couple months she tells him all about
the problems that she is having with the dog she got just before he left. He then accidentally
makes a remark about his day and the fact that he had to clean up brains. His wife sat there in
utter disbelief. It is a hard thing to grasp. When you are that far away from each other without
that much communication you don't really understand what they are going through. The wife
then asked him in tears if he is going to be okay when he comes home and he casually says yes
that he is just tired. Probably knowing very well that he wont be okay. That he isn't okay. But
how can someone be after seeing those kinds of gruesome things almost every day. I realized
while reading this how hard it must be on the couples while one is at war. Not only is there a
distance between them physically but they are living in completely different worlds. One where
cleaning up dog poop in the norm and one where cleaning up brains is the norm. When they
come home they are suffering with PTSD and the spouse doesn't know how to help. How can
you help? You don't even know what really happened while they were at war. My aunt and
uncle were pregnant when he was sent off to Iraq and she had to raise the child alone for the

first year of my cousins life. I still don't fully understand how hard that must have been for the
both of them. My uncle feeling helpless and guilty that she has to raise this kid on her own for a
little bit and if he doesn't live through the war possibly having to raise it alone for a really long
time. After reading this and learning about this unit I have a new respect for my uncle and his
wife. Who are still together to this day.