Finished with the War
A Soldier’s Declaration
I am making this statement as an act of willful defiance of military authority, because I believe the war is being deliberately prolonged by those who have the power to end it.
I am a soldier, convinced that I am acting on behalf of soldiers. I believe that this war, upon which I entered as a war of defence and liberation, has now become a war of aggression and conquest. I believe that the purposes for which I and my fellow soldiers entered upon this war should have been so clearly stated as to have made it impossible to change them, and that, had this been done, the objects which actuated us would now be attainable by negotiation.
I have seen and endured the suffering of the troops, and I can no longer be a party to prolong these sufferings for ends which I believe evil and unjust.
I am not protesting against the conduct of the war, but against the political errors and insincerities for which the fighting men are being sacrificed.
On behalf of those who are suffering now I make this protest against the deception which is being practised on them; also I believe that I may help to destroy the callous complacence with which the majority of those at home regard the continuance of agonies which they do not share, and which they have not sufficient imagination to realize.
S. Sassoon
July 1917
After his protest was published Sassoon was sent to a mental hospital to be treated for “shell shock.” He was an officer, wounded twice and twice decorated for bravery. He survived the war and died in 1967.
3 comments:
Randall,
Thanks for passing on Owen's "Anthem."
I'm well acquainted with the Barker trilogy. Sassoon's letter...as you probably realize..opens "Regeneration."
I was struck to the heart by how appropriate it was to our present war.
Sassoon's anti war poetry is absolutely savage:
"Does it matter?- losing your legs?..
For people will always be kind,
And you need not show that you mind
When others come in after hunting
To gobble their muffins and eggs.
"Does it matter?-losing your sight?...
There's such splendid work for the blind.
And people will always be kind,
As you sit on the terrace remembering
And turning your face to the light.
--Does It Matter?
Art/Randall,
I don't have a poem to contribute, but I share your sentiments regarding this god awful mess. I said somewhere that I think this fiasco will go down as one of the greatest blunders in human history.
It is THAT BAD, and I don't know how anyone can say this isn't slipping past the point of no return with respect to civil war. Iraqi casualities are well into six figure sums, perhaps topping half a million according to some estimates.
Regarding blogger commentary, it seems to have really dropped off since the primary. Not sure what to make it mean. I miss some of those fabulous threads that occurred here at TDP during the summer.
There's a cynical part of me that thinks volumous commentary tends to flow to the banal and inane. For a good sampling, go to the online Star and read the drivel that gets posted after various stories.
Comments or not, Art, I visit your blog regularly and enjoy what you publish. As for my own blog, I will continue so long as the spirit moves me and set my own standards. At least for the moment, it appears that thought provoking material of substance solicits fewer comments than simpler political tabloid stuff.
x4mr,
I think you are absolutely right that "thought provoking material of substance solicits fewer comments than simpler political tabloid stuff." However, it doesn't mean that thought provoking material was not effective or went unnoticed. You never know who is reading.
By the way, Art, this is a great post.
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