For reasons that I cannot articulate, my favorite period in history to learn about is World War II. I'm just so fascinated by it. It's weird to think that it was only 70 years ago. It's also weird to say "only 70 years ago" but in the Grand Scheme that's not that long.
Sometimes I wonder if I would be as interested in it if I'd lived through wartime. I mean, ok, I guess technically we are occupying Iraq and Afghanistan, but this isn't a war like it was then. There's no draft, Europe isn't really involved, and I don't think anybody's officially calling it a war. My point is that I have three brothers. If this were the '40s and we were finally entering the war (or even whenever it was between 1914 and 1918 that we got in on WWI), chances are they'd all be drafted for it. I'd be left at home to go to work in a factory and just wonder every day what was going on and if they were safe. Of course, if it were then I'd probably also be married and my husband would be fighting too, so I'd be a single parent. I'm 24, I'd certainly have at least 2 kids by now.
I think my dad would be too old to go, or at least I hope that's the case. Let's face it, the man is just not cut out for that kind of thing. I guess my brothers aren't either. But that's what boot camp is for, yes? Just think about it, though. All the guys my age that I'm friends with would be gone. My cousins, former classmates, family friends...all fighting a war with little chance of making it back. We are so lucky that things aren't like that now. Yes, men and women are still getting killed overseas. The difference here is in the numbers (far fewer of them are getting killed these days, not that it's much consolation to their families), and that these people volunteered to serve, they were not legally required to do so.
The reason I'm thinking about it again is because I'm watching Band of Brothers for probably the millionth time. Now before anybody can get worked up, I understand that this is not a completely accurate portrayal of what really happened and it's dramatized and some things have been omitted and/or exaggerated blah blah blah. But you know, even if it isn't completely accurate, it is still relatively accurate, and it is based on the stories of some of the survivors from the 101st Airborne. Pretty solid.
The show itself, even if it weren't based on real stories, I think would be really captivating anyway. It was well cast, well written, and well acted. I was introduced to it by Mr. Healy, my high school history teacher (who, interestingly enough, bears a strange resemblance to Damien Lewis who played Dick Winters in the show). He likes it because of its accuracy. He showed us two episodes in a class I had with him centered around that time period. I fell in love with it and now, 7 years later, here I am, watching it again and appreciating it like it's the first time.
So anyway it's got me thinking about what a different time that was. We bitch endlessly about things that, in comparison, seem so petty and insignificant. I guess a lot of things can seem petty and insignificant next to something like a fucking war, but you get my point. It's also got me thinking that I would not fare well in a war situation. Especially in a field hospital or something. Too much blood, too much suffering. I can't even stand to watch dramatizations of it, I would certainly pass out or worse if I saw it in real life. No thank you.
I think if I'd had to have a hand in it, or had to live through seeing family and friends go off to fight and not come back, I wouldn't want to know more about it than I had to. I certainly wouldn't want to revisit it. I guess I'm glad I didn't have to go through it, because I really like learning about it. I wish I needed another history class so I could find one based on it, but I make do with reading up on it on my own.
What I'm saying is, we are damn lucky to have it as good as we do. Sure everything seems kinda shitty right now, but hey - it could be a hell of a lot worse.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some handsome soldiers to get back to.
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