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...
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