Motivations for war
There is an interesting article in Concord Monitor Online entitled "Silent Witness to War". The author writes on the subject of some of the other motivations of a peoples rush to war that are other than patriotism.
Thought some of you might find it interesting. It's one of those subjects that many of us are certainly aware of but don't spend much time dwelling on.
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great Article
Dont have time to make much of a comment at this time as work calls and I have to get dressed and such, but this one could be the foil for debate and comparisons.....
Seamus
"Im your huckleberry"
way to take the romance out of it all...........................
once again Great Article, with facts and not conjecture. though personal letters can still have a "spin" of their own. We all want to believe in the good in a Cause. The glory and the romance of it. I think a lot of "living historians"(thus the trekkie becomes the trekker) are drawn to the "romance" of the period we attempt to portray and we do do some gritty portrayals sometime but largely its sick call and checker games, I havent seen a really good portrayal of the syphilitic, tubucular mercury poisoned soldier yet, but im waiting.....
these letter show that the mercenary motives of human nature did exist though its something we really dont want to acknoldge. We want to relegate this sort of thing to the exception and not the rule file. but we are also taalking about people in the begining that felt like this war would only last a few weeks, not years and in such environs the guilded bird of optimism becomes more of a lame duck. so with death and destruction all around It would seem to those involved that maybe they might "get theirs" out of the whole affair. but that shouldnt tarnish those who did stand for the motives of Patriotism and community, to form those bands of brothers on both sides of the issue.
Seamus
"Im your huckleberry"
One family, one story,
Your points are all spot on Mike,
I think it is important to remember that this is one story of one family. There are certainly more stories like this out there. But there are in every war that ever occurred. Such people live amongst us!
There are also the stories of great patriotism. And thank god those people live amongst us as well.
The article is definately worth the read.
As historians, it is important that we understand such aspects of ourselves. That good and bad existed and both have a story.
But as living historians, people who act out history, I'm not sure we should portray such characters. Oh I know we can! I'm just asking if we should? There is a great entertainment value, as well as educational value in what we do. As such, leaning toward the romantic side a little does have it's advantages.
Of course where exactly is the romance of marching in the rain? Sleeping on the only rock in the entire field? Going days without bathing?
Well, my two cents, for what it's worth.
--
Michael Johnson
The portrayal
The story was interesting and has a common theme for both the North as well as the South. If you recall some of the movies of the '90s use such speculationism as part of their plots. "North and South" comes to mind.
I doubt any but the both and bazen would attempt to portray such characters in the re-enactor world but there is a place for the story and that is from the griping soldier. There are samples hundreds of letters (north and south) telling love ones and friends of misdeeds of kinfolk as well friends and neighbors. Not all are about misdeeds, many are about military politics within units and ranks as well as acts of cowardness of the unexpected or even the expected men of the community or state. Thus, the Bean story comes from a third party.
Just my thoughts on the subject. Now back to the books for me.
Will
While watching one of the
While watching one of the countless documentaries on the Civil War on the history channel there was one Historian that made a quote that has stuck with me for its symbolic value and for its inate truth it went something like this.... in war the cream is skimmed off the top... the truly brave and the ones who through knowledge or their humanity would in the future make life and the world a better place are often killed because of their heroism, their self-sacrifice while the scum sits at home or if the scum goes to war they are the outlyers, the "bummers" robbing the smokehouse and raping the defenceless. they come home....the good do not. Now im not saying that as a rule only the scum survive an engagement, but im sure everyone gets the gist....
Seamus
"Im your huckleberry"