Personal Narrative: The American Soldier

1887 Words8 Pages

Candice Wood
Dr. A. Millet
Hist. 1700 8:00
10/12/15

“God was on the side of the nation that had the oil.”
– Prof. Wakimura, Tokyo Imperial University.

It seems, even in a world of turmoil, that we get so busy living our lives that we start to take for granted our situations, our lifestyles and the many comforts we enjoy. Even though each day has its struggles, my life is very good. I grew up in a relatively secluded and peaceful area, in a country I feel very blessed to be part of.
In our small community in West Central Utah, patriotism is alive and well. The American Legion serves almost tirelessly playing a part in everything from high school flag ceremonies, funerals of veterans, community events to the annual Veterans Day Program. …show more content…

Up until this point, World War II was thought to be pretty much wrapped up, so when soldiers began to question that sentiment, no one listened. Men on the field told their leaders that something big was happening at the exact location the Germans attacked. Men on the ground believed Germany was storing lots of “stuff” nearby. Although they expressed their worries to their leaders, the higher-ups quickly dismissed it saying that it was only men playing the phonograph (a broken record so to …show more content…

I have heard comments about the past couple of wars in Iraq and Iran, stating that we were in the war only because of oil. Researching and interviewing for this essay has given me cause to reflect, especially the statement by Prof. Wakimura: “God was on the side of the nation that had the oil.”
Oil may very well be the untold story of WWII. It had a critical impact on strategy and was essential to the outcome of the war.
Citations
Porter, Ken. "Oil in WWII." Interview by author. September 30, 2015.
MacDonald, Charles B. A Time for Trumpets: The Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge. 1st Quill Ed Edition ed. New York: Morrow, 1984. 720.
Donovan, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick H. "Oil Logistics in the Pacific War." In 2004 Logistics Dimensions, 544. Vol. 2. Air Force Logistics Management Agency, 2004.
"Why Germany Really Lost World War II." Why Germany Really Lost World War II. Accessed October 5, 2015.
"Bombing Vienna World War II Bomber Group." Bombing Vienna World War II Bomber Group. October 13, 1944. Accessed October 10, 2015.
"How Important Was Oil in World War II?" History News Network. Accessed October 11,