Author Topic: “Wow! War is Great!” (Read 1383 times)

eskimo2 · « **on:** December 24, 2004, 06:29:00 AM »

Yesterday I had a discussion about war with my 5 year old daughter. She asked why wars are started. After giving an elementary explanation, she asked about what her grandfather (“Papa”, who lives with us) did during the war (WWII). I explained that there were fighters and bombers. Fighters are made to shoot down bombers and those bombers need gunners to shoot back. Papa’s job was to help teach the new gunners how to shoot at the fighters; he flew a bullet proof plane that the gunners could practice shooting at from another airplane. (More here) He also towed giant streamers behind his airplane so that the gunners could practice shooting at it. Or, he flew airplanes with gunners who would shoot at the streamers.

Her response to this discussion:
“Wow! War is Great!”

eskimo

lada · « **Reply #1 on:** December 24, 2004, 06:36:21 AM »

hehe that could explain thinking of some ppl on this BBS

Nilsen · « **Reply #2 on:** December 24, 2004, 06:38:23 AM »

Me thinks the lesson not complete if that was her response

Yoda

Furball · « **Reply #3 on:** December 24, 2004, 06:58:30 AM »

Show her a photo of one of the war cemetaries, from normandy or something, let her look at it for a while then explain that each of those little white things symbolises a lost daddy/son/uncle/friend.

Maybe then she will realise war is not so great

oboe · « **Reply #4 on:** December 24, 2004, 07:06:05 AM »

Never great, but sometimes necessary. For example, consider those U.S. military cemetaries in Normandy and what they represent.

Ripsnort · « **Reply #5 on:** December 24, 2004, 07:09:19 AM »

Children at that age react to the enthusiasm, complete knowledge, or lack there of, in story telling when they make their opinion known of something they know nothing of, therefore I would say she reacted to your tone and knowledge rather than the content itself.

eskimo2 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 24, 2004, 07:16:02 AM »

After a good laugh, I went on to explain that both good and bad people die in wars, even civilians and soldiers who were forced to fight. She got the point.

eskimo

lada · « **Reply #7 on:** December 24, 2004, 07:21:09 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by eskimo2
After a good laugh, I went on to explain that both good and bad people die in wars, even civilians and soldiers who were forced to fight. She got the point.

eskimo

so she must be awsome then... when i tried to explain that to several ppl here, they still belive that war is cool way to go.

eskimo2 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 24, 2004, 07:56:40 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by lada
so she must be awsome then... when i tried to explain that to several ppl here, they still belive that war is cool way to go.

Actually, the entire discussion stemmed from the song: War (What is it good for). She had just heard it. The beginning of the discussion/explanation was on how some wars start.

eskimo

DREDIOCK · « **Reply #9 on:** December 24, 2004, 09:25:51 AM »

"It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it." R.E. Lee

lazs2 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 24, 2004, 09:56:27 AM »

war is one of the most terrible things a human can come up with... be it two people or a world..

There is only one thing worse than war and that is tyranny. be it two people or a world.

lazs

Gonzo · « **Reply #11 on:** December 24, 2004, 10:45:32 AM »

This is probably my favorite war poet: Siegfried Sassoon. The poem's a/b WWII

Suicide in the Trenches
I knew a simple soldier boy
Who grinned at life in empty joy,
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
And whistled early with the lark.

In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
He put a bullet through his brain.
No one spoke of him again.

You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you'll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.

SSCP, p. 78
© George Sassoon

lazs2 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 24, 2004, 10:51:26 AM »

lada... no one here likes war or, at least I don't think they do but... your country is free right now. would you go to war to keep it that way? It would appear that you are enjoying the sacrafices made by rough men.

lazs

eskimo2 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 24, 2004, 11:26:47 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by lazs2
war is one of the most terrible things a human can come up with... be it two people or a world..

There is only one thing worse than war and that is tyranny. be it two people or a world.

lazs

That is a great sumary of why war is sometimes justified.

eskimo

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #14 on:** December 24, 2004, 11:53:40 AM »

Many of u her consider me a "war monger," however I hvae been concerned that the USA gets involved in too many wars and too easily over the last decade because it seemed so easy - a few heroes fell, cnn did its tribute, the president gave his speech over the fallen and we have a taense TV night as they fish out some unlucky pilot who got tagged by a sam behind enemy lines - thats all over in a few weeks - war with all glory no cost - even a fun CNN nightvison bombing hour. Tragically I must say that in sime ways this iraq experince is agood reminder for us all that war has serious costs as we near 1500 dead in combat and the casualty reports of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or more dying daily become almost commonplace - imagine that back in the 1990s..