Military Troops

I used to naively think that most soldiers fought for money and country and didn’t really care about the missions they were sent on. I’m not sure why I thought that really. I guess I’ve seen too much propaganda about kids being pulled into the military from poor neighborhoods where people can’t really afford college. It is incredibly evident that those men and women on the ground are more interested in making a difference in the grander scheme of things.

I guess some of my thoughts came from the differences between World War II and the Vietnam War and the similarities between the Vietnam War and the War in Afghanistan and Iraq. In WWII, soldiers joined because they were fighting a concrete enemy that was threatening to take over the world. In the Pacific theatre, marines prevented Japanese takeover of Australia and liberated the island nations that Japan laid claim to when the empire expanded. In Europe, army forces liberated most of Europe from German rule. Soldiers were greeted with cheering crowds and were constantly reminded that what they were doing was achieving tangible results.

In Vietnam, it was unfortunately a very different story. Soldiers were surrounded by people who most certainly did not want them there. It was impossible to know who was an enemy and who was a friendly face. Tangible results were completely non-existent. If soldiers had gone there thinking they were making a difference, this idea was most certainly lost very quickly. I saw a documentary last night about the massacre at My Lin. There were hundreds of non-combatants that were slaughtered. Anything that moved was hunted down and shot. It happened because the soldiers were completely furious and in hunt of enemy forces. They thought they finally found an enemy strong hold. They were ordered to shoot anything that moved. One of the soldiers explained, “If anything moves, shoot it. If it is a building, burn it. If it grew, destroy it. If it was alive, kill it.” It ended up being a peaceful village, full of women and children, that was completely wiped out. These things aren’t done by soldiers who felt they were there to help the people or to make a difference. These atrocities are done by soldiers who only want to get the mission done and get out.

The reason why I thought this mindset would continue is the fact that there are similarities between Afghanistan, Iraq, and Vietnam. The thing is though that while a lot of people didn’t really want Americans there, there is still a lot of good that those soldiers are doing. I read a story in time magazine about Captain Ellis trying to rebuild a school in a town not far from Kandahar. The Canadians had built the school, but Taliban forces had driven them out, broken all the windows of the school and placed mines and IEDs across it so that no one could even step foot in it. And the difference here is incredibly apparent when the villagers appreciate seeing their children being able to learn how to read and write. They were appreciative of the soldiers’ efforts to rebuild the school. It’s a reminder of a long time ago when a soldier’s purpose in the grand scheme of things was actually apparent. I’m reminded of how beautiful it is that these men and women serve and I am very appreciative of it.

Thanks Guys.