Rhetorical Analysis of “Losing the War” by Lee Sandlin War is an incredibly ambiguous phenomenon. In today’s world it feels easy to forget anything but life in relative peace. World War II shook the globe. Now, it has has dwindled to mere ripples in between pages of history textbooks and behind the screens of blockbuster films. In Lee Sandlin’s spectacular essay, “Losing the War,” he explains that in the context of World War II, the “amnesia effect” of time has lead to a bizarre situation; “the next generation starts to wonder whether the whole thing [war] ever actually happened,” (361). All that seems to be remembered is a reverie; a spectacle of valiance and bravery. The older generation —the ones who were there—simply became the collateral damage. The war, in all its infamy, can never be …show more content…
He has chosen to title his essay “Losing the War.” This however is not originally the title. The longer title is as follows; “World War II had faded into movies, anecdotes, and archives that nobody cares about anymore. Are we losing the war?” Albeit subtle subtle, this is perhaps one of the most powerful choices Sandlin made in his argument. He is suggesting that although the war is considered “won” in the history books, the trauma it caused —as the general nature of the war— is anything but victorious. He is also arguing that the American public is, actually, losing the war. They are living in a time of relative peace, as he describes, which allows for only a fractured and idolized understanding of what war truly meant. Moreover, the American public is “losing the war,” and its realistic legacy over time, while the world never truly won the war to begin with. Sandlin’s argument unfolds in such a way that addresses both connotations of his title. He pragmatically outlines the psychological limitations of modern Americans, while contrasting them with the widespread trauma of a global
Moreover, at the first article, Howard Zinn says, “very few writers have dared to question the purity of the ‘good war.’’ ’ I think all of these stories want to show us that the Second World War for the United States was not just simply a “good war” although it was one of the most famous wars in the world and the United Sates won the fight at the end of the war. However, there were too many misunderstandings about it, and the war caused too many casualties. Although many people supported the Second World War in order to overthrow the Nazism, Fascism, and Japanese, there were still many victims who opposed the war and doubt about the Second World
And this is what happening, and especially with Korea. They say it’s the “forgotten war.” Yeah, it is”(Wojciechowski). Wojciechowski is saddened by the fact that young people don’t remember about the important events in history, especially the Korean War. However, there a reason why young people don’t remember history is due to to the fact that they choose not to.
War can have great outcomes, such as gaining allies, land, money, but the lives lost and families torn apart can
He uses people’s personal stories and moral choices as a lens to tell the story of World War II. From these stories, he draws common themes and traces their impact on the war, and the impact on society postwar. On page 13 he talks about using two different hats in which to use in our historical observance while reading his book. The first is, “the stance of celebration: the imperative one feels to recapture vividly the drama, sacrifice, and extraordinary achievement that culminated in allied victory.” This stance is how we tend to usually view the war.
It says, man, you got wax in your ears. It says, poor bastard, you 'll never know—wrong frequency—you don 't even want to hear this. Then they salute the fucker and walk away, because certain stories you don 't ever tell,” (O’Brien 56) as a result of their loss of sanity and rational state of mind. The experience of the soldiers in “How to Tell a True War Story” illustrates an example of how events can affect the psyche and lead to long-term concerns of
With all of these soul-shattering, life-changing conditions, it is less of a war and more of a test of strength for the soldiers, here at Valley Forge. Some men were going home and not returning. Other men just completely deserted. Even George Washington’s position was uncertain, the members of congress didn’t trust him. Life at Valley Forge was obviously horrible, and the ugly truth is that it wouldn’t get much better.
This war was greater for the American society than it was for their soldiers. While many of the soldiers lost their mind, American saw great economic growth and overcame the Great Depression. Finally, in the last chapter, Adams talks about the knowledge of postwar history. Although evil groups, such as Nazism, had been overcome, many problems remained in the home front that and some still exist
War is a harsh reality that is inflicted upon the unwilling through the “need” of it’s predecessors and those whom wish it. All Quiet on The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque is about 19 year old Paul and his friends in the “Second Company”. Even though they are just out of school age, they have already seen things that many could not bear to even think about. Eventually, all of his friends die, and even Paul too, dies. Remarque uses diction and syntax as literary devices to express his anti-war theme, or lesson.
Pitts Article Rhetorical Analysis – Final Draft In life people try to comfort others in times of grieving. Leonard Pitts comforts his readers in his article, “We will go forward from this moment ” by trying to make since of the 9/11 attack. Pitts uses emotion and logic to persuade the Americans that the terrorists can do what they want to America, but America is tough enough to handle it.
In fact, what was upsetting Allen was the fact that the war never did end. The Korean war followed, and Vietnam shortly after. In each, the country demanded more from its people, more blood, more money, more sacrifice, and more, well, just everything else. With that, Allen used his gifted skill to get the world to see these issues in his own crazy mind. (Allen Ginsberg, Bio.)
Rhetorical Essay Analysis World War II is a time of great struggle for humanity, especially for those within the midst of the battlegrounds. During the June of 1940 in an attempt to boost his citizen’s morale and confidence, Winston Churchill, then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), gave his speech “We shall fight on the beaches” at the British House of Commons. The rhetorical purpose of this speech is to convince the people of the UK that they have a fighting chance against the Axis forces, even if the worst comes to show. In order to gain people’s support, Churchill employed the rhetorical strategies of historical evidence and emotional appeal.
The War’s The World, The World’s The War When a fire burns that you cannot ignore, you often think to yourself; what can I do to extinguish this threat? During World War One an entire generation felt lost, young men returned home shell shocked. Friends of many were buried in the very trenches they fought in. These men were the reason we have what we so take for granted, Freedom. Just as the British soldiers shout, “Fight for King and Country!”, Americans think something entirely different.
In All Quiet on the Western Front, Remarque exposes the reality of war by refuting the idea of the “Iron Youth,” revealing the mistreatment of soldiers, and showing the critical effects war imprints on them. When any war begins, young men are always the first ones to be sent into the war zones. To clarify, older generations believe young adults are the best options for fighting; these boys are strong, full of energy, and do not have anything to lose. “The chief source of this pro-war ideology were the older men of the nation: professors, publicists, politicians, and even pastors” (Literature and Its Times).
In order to prevent Nazi Germany and its allies from conquering the world, Winston Churchill strongly argues that United states should summon military forces with those of Britain. Churchill makes an effective argument by using sentimental terms to first get empathy or the support from the Americans, and then to highlight the significance of the issue. Furthermore, with the simultaneous use of logical reasoning, the author even more strengthens his argument. The writer starts his argument by first mentioning the American mind of the current war, which he illustrates as ‘the lights are going out’, with the use of emotional words such as ‘uncensored’, ‘avail’ and earnestness’.
Child Migrants Programme and an Imperialistic Stranglehold In everyday life, there is a disconnect between the past and the present. We focus on what is happening now and in the near future, which is necessary for survival. That gap is starting to close, with resources to study history becoming more and more prevalent as time goes on. We seem to view events that happened in the past as finite dates and times, and we do not take into account how actions of the past reverberate in the present.