The overall argument that Eugene B. Sledge is demonstrating throughout the book is the path from innocence through experiences never imagined. How those casualties back home that are standing on the outside looking into the war thinking it was boredom and nothing interesting. Those that are fighting in the actual war said that it was nothing but pure horror and how once you were in there life had no meaning, because escaping seem less and less likely to happen. This war turnt boys to men, Sledge himself enlisted out of patriotism, idealism, and youthful courage for his country after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. How once he stepped foot on the beach at Peleliu, it was a pure struggle for survival. Surviving while others perished before your …show more content…
Sledge says he stills has nightmares about "the bloody, muddy month of May on Okinawa." He mentions to us about the filth that they struggled with and how he is puzzled that everyone always forgets to mention that part, because filth and fear went hand in hand. Eugene also tells us about his friendships and bonds that the Marines create together. The strengths of this article was Sledgehammer’s was the proof that he provided. He did not have to go around remember all the events off of his recollection, he wrote everything that happened down in his pocket sized New Testament. One vivid story that he tells is about how him and fellow Marines came across the bodies of other Marines that were butchered and violated with their genitals stuck in there mouth. As well as how some Marines would remove valuable items off of dead Japanese soldiers corps, making it understood that both sides were equally nasty to each other. It also makes a strong compelling argument on why the dropping of the atomic bomb was so crucial to America. The amount of real number of combatants and civilians that were being killed at Okinawa, the way Sledge describes it probably does justify the U.S. for doing what they did to Japan. One