war-changes humans or not?

Historian had a story of a man who shot his wounded friend who asked him to do it....I read where a Marine dragged a wounded Japanese, and started hacking at his teeth to get the gold....I'm sure you have read some horror stories like this.........before the war, these people would never have imagined doing these things...they were ''good'', peaceful people...did war change them? ..or, deep down, are we all capable of doing the same things??

 

I am more referring to high ranking people, but in some cases normal people apply depending on the circumstance, but when one gets power it can corrupt the goodness we have and can change us a lot. War gives a lot of those people that power to do what they see necessary tto keep up with their interests. when I mean normal people I mean those who are on the victorious side. Not all soldiers of the victorious side are like that but, those who are are indirectly given power to terrorize others that they have conquered. But power isn't the only thing that causes people on war to change, there is fear, anger, hatred, and many other factors that cause people to change during wartime. Just my theory.

 

so, they change on the outside..but, as we have serial killers that kill for a 'high', or rapists, etc,<.for them, killing/raping is 'normal' for them, it is what is on their outside, in full view...but, do a lot of others [or everyone? ] have any type of that evil in them, and we see it ''released'' during war?

 

It might come from abuse maybe. Although he didn't fight in the war, Andrei Chikatilo said he was affected greatly by the war in the east. He was also born into a life of harships especially since his family was poor. And his mother occasionally beat him because he said that he was a chronic bed wetter. This is just one example I'm sure a lot of them get those instincts from an abusive family life, but some might just be born that way 'maybe.' I know there is probably a lot of cases where ones family never would have thought that their son or daughter or whatever would become someone horrible.

 

I am always of the mindset, especially as a teacher, that a human being is a product of their environment. Whether a child or an adult, tragic events experienced are life altering. Each case being entirely different from one another. I can't imagine landing on the beaches of Normandy in the first wave at Omaha and not walking away with scars. Or spending 3 yrs in a POW camp and not displaying after effects. I have read many accounts of soldiers experiencing changes their thought process. It widely known that during the Normandy breakout, SS troops were treated especially harsh on capture. The cognitive process can only stand so much. A soldier is trained to the think on his feet and make strategic decisions throughout. But when encountering horrendous stress and witnessing death and destruction of other humans, how can that not change someone.

 

KJ

I can only offer my own experience.

I served in the British army from October 1942 until April 1947 and am fully convinced that these years shaped my future life.

I learned to be self sufficient, I learned to be grateful for small things and I learned that nothing is for ever.

At the age of 91 I am physically not the same person who rode into battle on a turret-less Stuart Honey tank but my memory of those days is still strong and I have no regrets at having been part of an amazing period of history.

Ron

 

We created civilised behaviour for a reason...of course we are all capable of anything given the right circumstances and syfficient time.
Oh, and pulling teeth after a battle is not as rare as you might think...

 

Ron, as always your additions are appreciated, thoughtful and humbling. Thank you. No one can ever know the conditions that you and others of your great generation had to endure.

 

Well, just looking at the problems the forces that fought in Iraq in 2003 or later, or in Afganishtan, many seem to have problems with normal life and as a matter of fact, some seem to be more at home back at the front as they want to go back...?!

 

I believe some are born with the genetics/physiology of ''killing''

 

very true...I'd say that for 99.99% of the people...but there are the .1%ers that cannot be helped/changed...and when you say each case being different<>yes, so many factors involved..thanks for replies....the SS troop situation seems very interesting...

 

that rings a bell in my little brain.....maybe I'm remembering the movie First Blood?? but I thought this was indeed true for some Nam vets? much thanks for all replies

 

War seems to be in human nature, otherwise there weren´t so many of ém I guess....question is if the common man wants wars, or rather he follows the words of the leaders and hopes they are true. Means, he believes he fights for the right cause.

 

Especially if their leader is telling them that they are.

 

must agree here

 

War is simply an extention of natural behaviour...until we genuinely evolve we will always have conflict and war...dont you guys watch SciFi??

 

Mostly it seems like wars start once the generation that fought the war and recalls the horrible things is gone, and the new idealistic generation is old enough and ready. Those youngsters are ready for propaganda and dream of hero stories.Not wooden crosses.

 

that's the start of a very good thread......

 

I tell my kids that...the college students/youngsters think about/want to change the world.......isn't that how it's always been?

 

Kind-hearted people might of course think there was some ingenious way to disarm or defeat the enemy without too much bloodshed, and might imagine this is the true goal of the art of war. Pleasant as it sounds, it is a fallacy that must be exposed: War is such a dangerous business that mistakes that come from kindness are the very worst.

War Is Merely the Continuation of Policy by Other Means

Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating.

Everything in war is simple, but the simplest thing is difficult.

Carl von Clausewitz