Soldiers at War

“War is hell,” General Tecumseh Sherman acknowledged in his speech for the cadets in 1880. War impacts the soldier at war. Situations develop that call an individual to act either out of character or in a manner that further enhances character.

Roosevelt gave an example of a soldier at war whose actions improved his character when he spoke of Dr. Wassell. Instead of deserting 12 severely injured men, he succeeded in getting them to Java and then, after being bombed and machine gunned by the Japanese, took command of the vessel which he successfully maneuvered to Australia’s safety.

Soldiers at war often experience events that are life threatening or extremely dangerous. With the exposure to such intense trauma, often their mental health becomes challenged. The individual develops flashbacks, nightmares, insomnia and general anxiety, all symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

With the need for heroes, people look to the soldier at war to perform nobly and with unrealistic physical ability. Watching most war movies, the image of remaining unhampered by the surrounding horror emerges. The soldier at war becomes a larger-than-life hero.

Even in gaming, when participating in “Soldiers at War,” with the 15 historically-based scenarios that are placed in maps of 3D terrain, the reality of war becomes pristine. The beginning missions in Africa become more complex as progress to the end in Germany occurs. Selection of a squad comes from a group of 32 men. Upon accomplishing one campaign, acquired items and skills carry into the next. Unlike the devastation of war, the success of each level adds to the power of the forces.