With The Old Breed Analysis

Out with the violence, in with the peace! In E.B. Sledge’s book “With the Old Breed” he discusses his war experiences and opinions on the matter. In the introduction of the book, war is described as “brutish, inglorious, and a terrible waster.” I second that. As many think war is a problem solver, it also starts several small problems in itself. Personally, I have never been a fan of the idea of any kind of war. The thought of thousands dying, millions of dollars being used, and home lands being destroyed, just doesn’t make sense. In the book I found a small part that I believe shows how war is a waste. He was explaining a corpse and called the man a “pitiful waste” (page 195 Ibooks) and saying the boy couldn't have been a day over 17. Such a young age for someone to lose their life, a waste. Sledge also shows his faith in this book. Praying while in Peleliu, even asking God, “why, why, why?” Saying he felt terrified, angry, helpless; emotions that could have been avoided if our nations could just talk things out. But it is never that simple. Because if it were, how would nations show dominance?

It is violent and destructive, not only to structures and to bodies, but to families, and mental statuses. It tears things we love apart and spits it back out as something unrepairable. Sledge says war is “the physical horror and brutish reality,” (page 303 Ibooks), we can protest against it and preach as much hate as possible about war but until leaders are truly willing to sit down and talk through things or even make treaties, it will continue. And that’s the sad truth. We send 18 year olds out to fight for our country, and if we’re lucky enough to get them home, the likely hood of them being the same, is very small. They see things we could never imagine which can alter their reality and way of thinking. PTSD is very real and very common in our soldiers. Another reason war is