What is war like?

Answer 1

1. Definition of war-Obtaining a political goal by other than political means. 2. Definition of war (when using other than political means)- Two opposing forces using "military" force to defeat the other. 3. Legal acceptance of war definition-A legal war is when the combatants are sanctioned by the engaged governments; surrender, victory, and POW's (Prisoners of War) are protected from criminal prosecution...while following the "rules of war." In the US, the "Gangsters" of the 1920's & 1930's who fought law enforcement with Thompson Submachineguns (Tommy guns) were at war with the "cops" (Policemen), and the "cops" were at war with them; the "gang wars", Al Capone, Machinegun Kelly, Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger, The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, etc. these were wars. But not legal wars sanctioned by the government. Al Capone, Machinegun Kelly, etc. were NOT POW's when they surrendered, or were captured. They were tried in a court of law (prosecuted) and imprisoned. Today's military operations (today the military can LEGALLY conduct LAW ENFORCEMENT missions) in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan are fighting terrorists. These terrorists in the form of insurgents, guerillas, and other names attached to violence, are being hunted, arrested, or killed by coalition forces. Captured or surrendered terrorists are tried in a court of law, imprisoned, or executed (As was Saddam Hussain). 4. What is war like? If the war is in one of the categories described above, then each individual war will be studied differently (under different RULES). For normal US traditional wars such as the Revoluntionary War (1776), War of 1812, Mexican War (1846-1848), US Civil War (1861-1865), US Frontier Wars (1800-1890), Spanish-American War (1898), Philippine Insurrection 1900 (21st Century renamed to the Philippine-American War), WW1 (1914 (US Entry 1917)-1918), WW2 (1941 (US Entry)-1945), Korean War (1950-1953), Vietnam War (1961-1975); these wars only need to be broken down by the era in which they occurred. For example: 19th Century and beyond will consist of poor hygiene living conditions (Example: Approximately 385 US Servicemen were killed in the Spanish-American War, but nearly 5,000 US Servicemen died from diease) and the use of horses for transportation, and NO MODERN technology (such as airplanes, radios, submarines, radar, machineguns, etc.). 5. What is war like? For 20th Century Wars; the added feature of 3 dimensions must now be added. Airmen for fighting wars in the skies & Submarine crewmen who fought beneath the sea. War for them will be VERY DIFFERENT than men fighting on the land. 6. Choosing the traditional land fighting Infantrymen of the 20th Century (from WWI to the Vietnam War; the last US war fought with traditional ideals using ALL available conventional weapons (no NUKES) against a DETERMINED enemy): What is war like? Constant boredom, no entertainment...no music, LONELINESS (no members of the opposite gender for companionship), lost track of time...not knowing what day it is, what week it is, what month it is, most of us knew what year it was; Cold food (C Rations) nearly EVERY day, sleeping wet when it rained, sleeping on hard ground or in the soft mud, insects (mosquitos, spiders, leeches), snakes, poison plants, drinking contaminated water (purified with Army issued iodine tablets) but still looking like urine and always warm or hot when you drank it from your canteen. NEVER getting a good nights sleep (Almost NEVER), ALWAYS going to the bathroom like an animal (NEVER HAVING A TOILET), NEVER TAKING A SHOWER, bathing in creeks, rivers, or BOMB CRATERS that were filled with rain water. ALWAYS carrying something heavey...weapon, ammunition, water, grenades, claymore land mines, tri-pods for machineguns or mortars, food (C Rations), a sleeping bag or poncho liner to use as a blanket at night, a steel helmet (more weight to carry). And always, it seemed, to be walking UPHILL, or through the worst jungle vine infested forest that existed. Couldn't walk on established trails without getting ambushed or blown up, so we had to walk thru places that ripped your rifle from your hands and then tore your shirt from your body. Once you managed to reach the other side, a swamp greeted you. Now you had to wade across that, were there crocodiles in there? Or water snakes? We already knew leeches would get us...now what? Then after making it through the swamps...sometimes enemy "contact!" Now the shooting begins. What is war like (for the "Grunt")? 99% living like an animal and 1% fighting.