Soldier

“The Soldier”, is a British patriotic sonnet written by Rupert Brooke in 1914. It expresses love for the mother country which in this case is Great Britain. This poem describes the physical aspects of death and the writer’s opinion of it. Although death is the main point in this poem, it not depicted in a twisted and gruesome manner. Rather, death in this poem is a sacrifice. “The Soldier” is a patriotic poem. The purpose of patriotic poems during WWI was to motivate people to enlist for the armed forces.

It is quite similar to a piece of propaganda, asking in a way for people to join the armed forces; to take his place should he be killed –“If I should die, think only this of me”. We know that this poem is patriotic because of the last three lines of the first stanza, in particular –“A body of England’s, breathing English air,” We also know this poem is patriotic because it was written in 1914, when the war just started and spirits were high. After a while though, the enthusiasm dropped as people began to discover the nasty and cruel conditions of the trenches.

By the end of war, famine and constant bomb raids had completely obliterated all signs of patriotism. In the first stanza, Brooke mentions his belief of the physical aspects of death for one’s country. The “foreign field” is where his body will lay forever. The soil contains the soul of a glorious man who died for his country. Brooke believes that if he dies there, the soil around his body will become a part of England as a result of the purity of his soul –“That is forever England,” The soldier was brought up by England and as a result, his thoughts and beliefs are both influenced by England.

When he dies, all of his evil deeds and sins have been forgiven because he gave the ultimate sacrifice; to die for one’s country. Brooke also believes that, because the motherland was so nice to him, he must give back what she has given to him; that he must lay down his life to ensure that the motherland stays a free country. It is the only thing that he can give back to the motherland to say thanks. Throughout this poem, England is personified as a mother. It demonstrates how important the soldiers of England really are to the country itself.

Brooke writes this poem in a patriotic and joyful manner. He does not believe that dying for your country is a traumatic experience. This in contrast to another famously acclaimed poem by Wilfred Owen –“Dulce et Decorum Est” Brooke believes that dying for one’s country is a brave and honourable thing to do, especially during war. It states that should the person die, he should not be mourned, instead he should be looked upon as a selfless sacrifice to England.

Although the poem itself is referring to one person; himself, the title suggests that this poem is representing all soldiers, as when soldiers fight in wars, they lose their identity and become cogs in a big machine. To conclude, Rupert Brooke’s “The Soldier” is a patriotic poem about a soldier who had great love for his country. Brooke presents this sonnet as a piece of propaganda and encourages people to enlist for the armed forces. This poem describes the ideas of death in a mind of a patriotic person and gives us an insight into Brooke’s style of writing. Overall, this is a poem about honour and glory, about life and death.

Until recent years, Children have never been used in battles. They have never been forced to participate and be the front-liners in wars.  Although most cultures had trained and prepared children to fight in battles, these children were only given menial tasks when the situation arises such as running ammunition to canon crews. They were never considered true combatants and legitimate targets by the enemies.

“As the nature of armed conflict has changed in recent years, the practice of using children–defined under international law as those under age 18—as soldiers has become far more common and widespread” (Singer, 2007). Because this condition continued to spread, the United Nations had made this a serious concern for all countries.

“A ‘universal consensus’ appears to be growing against the use of children in hostilities, with more than three-quarters of U.N. member states having now signed, ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict” (Xanthaki, 2008). The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers had published its third global report about this persistent problem and concluded that although there is a growing awareness of the situation, there has been little improvement in alleviating this predicament.

The first used of children in hostilities may be dated as far back as the year 1212. Thousands of unarmed boys from Northern France and Western Germany marched and thought that they can take back the holy land by only the powers of faith (Singer, 2007). From unarmed crusades, the condition of using children in wars grew in severity until children are used as front-liners in battles. They were instructed how to use ammunitions and taught how to become suicide bombers and smugglers of explosives and weapons.

The use of children in armed conflicts may directly be the effects of socio-economic disruption caused by globalization and the changes in weapon technology. Although globalization had made the society improve its quality of life, it had also created great social instability. Those who were left behind by globalization found themselves lost in the society. Multiply civil and sectarian conflicts weakened and undermined the societal structures. Orphans and refugee children grew in number. This social group proved to be of greater risk in being pulled into war.

Armed groups lure children, especially orphans and refugee children, to join their groups by offering them food, security and shelter. They provide them with identity, empowerment through possession of fire arms and the power to make other people fear them. These offers appear to be appealing to these orphans.

“Very often children are lured into these groups because they romanticize their missions” (Xanthaki, 2008). Armed groups take advantage of children’s innocence, immaturity, vulnerability and desperation. When all else fail, these groups resort to kidnapping and coercion to get children as part of their group. There had been a reported incident in Liberia where a 7- year old child refused to join the rebels but was forced to do so when the rebels killed his younger brother (Singer, 2007).

These children are then brought to “boot camps” where they are trained and indoctrinated. They teach the children how to use ammunitions. Children are forced to kill animals and sometimes human prisoners in order for them to be desensitized to the sight of blood and death. Most of the children are also forced to take drugs to numb their minds and bodies in battles.  The result of this strategy is the children’s breakdown of defenses and memories, making them fighters who do not have empathy and any feelings for the civilian population.

Ancient Greece became the foundation of Western Civilization. It served as the breeding ground for the development of ideas of political liberty and democratic government. Appreciation and observation of certain standards for art, science, literature and philosophy were actually rooted in ancient Greece (Cawthorne, 23). The backdrop of this very influential Greek civilization was not always a colourful hue. It was also beset by conflicts between Greek City-States, causing them to be at war with one another.

Alexander the Great (Gergel 40). The Makings of a Great Warrior Indeed, the result of Alexander’s conquests was no small feat. It is one of history’s most treasured accounts of a military leader, unrivalled in military skills and brilliance. But Alexander’s seemingly innate qualities were not developed overnight. He laboured hard in becoming who he was in history (Roisman 45).

Alexander the Great honed his skills and enriched his intellect through the guidance of a respected great thinker in the name of Aristotle. He thought Alexander to develop a scientific curiosity for things. He moulded him to better understand and appreciate the Greek culture, which is evident in Alexander’s love for the arts (Roisman 45). Through Aristotle’s supervision, Alexander devoted a part of his life to acquiring knowledge and skills. He nourished his mind and spirit through various works of art and literature.

He inculcated the philosophy and ideas derive from the written word and he dreamed of one day matching the skills of the heroes depicted in Iliad and Odyssey. Alexander loved heroic tales, a reason enough to appreciate why he ruled historical pages during his time. Establishment of a Great Empire Alexander of Macedon was born in 356 BC. Following the assassination of his father, Philip in 336 BC, Alexander became the ruler. This, undoubtedly, was the start of the rise of one of the greatest leader in history (Howe and Harrer 79).

Alexander of Macedon was only twenty years old when he acquired the responsibility of governing his father’s land and army. Unknown to many, Alexander is set to accomplish things beyond the wildest imagination of many. Ancient Greek is destined to become recognized around the world through the efforts of a man, they call ruler (Lonsdale 52). A true heir to his father’s throne, Alexander shared the same vision for Greece, as his father did. He acquired exceptional military skill, leadership ability and an unsurpassed desire to conquer the Persian Empire.

Alexander the Great made his mark in history as the greatest military leader ever to live. His unrivalled popularity was always the source of, at times controversy, more often, inspiration. He possessed unparalleled brilliance, which earned him the reputation of a daring and intelligent ruler. This however, did not stop him from doing more. In 334 BC, he braved to cross Hellespont and freed the Greek colonies in Asia Minor. This resulted in a domino effect of empires falling one after another. He eyed Phoenicia, and then Egypt, where he founded Alexandria.

His success came one after another. In 331 BC, he was triumphant in conquering Mesopotamia, which surrendered and submitted under his rule (Baldry 83). Alexander’s military prowess was remarkable. After defeating the king of Persia in battle, Alexander pushed on to North Western India. He continued his invasion of empires and evidently, he achieved desired results. Between 334BC and 326 BC, Alexander, together with his exceptional army, conquered the lands from Egypt to India, without ever losing a single battle (De Santis 61; Lonsdale 54).

Death of Alexander the Great: An Empire Falls Apart Alexander the Great died of a fever in 323 BC. He was almost 33 years of age when he passed away. His death had a tremendous impact on his empire. The brief period of unity that brought Greece and the Near East together had ended abruptly. As a result, his general s were unable to control the vast empire that Alexander built. This resulted to the separation of Alexander’s empire into three kingdoms. Noteworthy is the fact that one of his generals, Ptolemy, ruled Egypt, while others settled in Asia and Macedonia.

Alexander’s Life and Contributions: an Analysis Alexander the Great started early on a life destined for greatness. His brilliance exuded more than an extraordinary military skill. It depicted him as a historical figure, worthy of adulation. But his life was never smooth sailing. Once, his right to inherit the throne of King Philip was questioned, following King Philips’ marriage to Cleopatra of Macedonia. This however, did not bar him from fulfilling his destiny. As soon as he reconciled with his father, he assumed the role of a rightful heir to the throne of King Philip.

It was proven when King Philip die and Alexander managed to rule over his father’s loyal subjects and lead them to conquests that later on brought them glory and honour. Alexander earned for them a reputation that is tantamount to priceless. Gaining recognition as a superior army, backed by a ruler whose brilliance is well-known, they conquered land, empires and expanded their power and influence. Alexander established his empire and manifested his power and influence throughout history. His desire to conquer Persia was no small feat. It enabled him to make his mark as a magnificent military leader and a brave one at that (Baldry 76).

As a ruler, Alexander the Great made various decisions and policies that merited recognition, while some solicited controversy. An example would be the cultural influence of proskynensis. This is a Persian culture, where it is strongly encouraged to kiss the hands of people regarded as social superiors. The Greeks abhorred this practice, thinking that it is only meant for gods and goddesses, and by implementing it, Alexander was stepping up to the level of deities (Renault 34). Indeed, Alexander the Great has raised his status as a ruler.

By attaining what his father Philip failed to achieve, Alexander the Great created an image of himself that is nothing short of spectacular. By strategically conquering one empire after another, he has expanded his sovereignty, and made both enemies and allies alike acknowledge the fact that he is a superb military leader who bows down to no one. The importance of Alexander the Great can be deeply felt long after he was gone. Although his empire broke apart, putting his efforts of unification to waste, his conquests had a lasting effect. This is attributable to the fact that Alexander the Great was an agent of change.

Indeed, he has espoused ideals and beliefs that influenced the Greek’s culture whether or not it was to their liking (Renault 34). Regarded as a magnificent military leader, Alexander the great was always one step ahead, in many respects. He encouraged the Greek soldiers, merchants and even government officials to settle in the conquered lands. This became the reason for the proliferation of the Greek culture long after his death. Through settling in the conquered land, the Greeks, by having contacts between the peoples of the Near East, became agents of spreading the Greek culture.

Ultimately, Greek culture influenced the conquered lands’ inhabitants and soon, the transfer and absorption of the Greek culture followed. The Greek language became widely used in the Mediterranean world. People belonging to the upper-class of the society learned and adapted the Greek literature, appreciation for the arts, ideas and customs. This can be considered one of Alexander’s finest works. To be able to spread the Greek culture and assimilate it into the daily lives of the people living in the conquered lands of Alexander the Great.

This symbolizes the unending tale of his heroic acts and the legacy he so desired to leave. During his conquests, Alexander the Great acquired great deal of knowledge. His travels gave him an opportunity to learn about plants, animals, geography, astronomy and philosophy. Many of the philosophers and scientists that accompanied him saw opportunities for a learning experience. Alexander advocated educating one’s self through discovery of principles and gathering knowledge (Green 27). It is more evident when he founded Alexandria. Outstanding scientists and scholars were invited to work at the library of Alexandria.

Many of the discoveries made still influence modern science. Alexander the Great looked into the future and linked it to the past. This is exactly what he did when he encouraged the spread of the Greek culture. It marked the opening of a new stage of civilization, more prominently termed the Hellenistic Age. The Hellenistic age provided for the avenue to lessen the discrimination between Greeks and Non-Greeks, evident in the Hellenic age. This is where the recognition of Greek culture in the Mediterranean world stemmed from (Mercer 60). The conquests of Alexander the Great proved fruitful and spawned a lot of changes in Greek civilization. The widespread acceptance of Greek culture by conquered lands elevated Alexander the Great as a ruler, a military leader and a brilliant king (Mercer 60).

The nation was split in two over the concept of slavery. The Northern abolitionists felt strongly against slavery while the Southern plantation owners were set on maintaining slave labor. South Carolina paved the way for Southern states to secede from the United States of America. Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas soon followed in early 1861 (Roark, 455). Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina followed in the secession of fellow southern states following the attack on Fort Sumter (Roark, 464).

From this point on, the Union and the Confederacy were set in stone. This was the root of the bloody Civil War. Millions of Americans enlisted in the army to support their beliefs and half of the nation. Soldiers faced harsh conditions not only on the battlefield, but also in their camps. The daily life of a Union soldier consisted of hours of drills, minimal food rations, and harsh conditions while fighting to end slavery. The Union soldiers shared many similarities. To enlist as a soldier the boy had to be at least 18 years old.

Most were in their late teens and early twenties though boys as young as 15 reportedly enlisted and lied about their age (“Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,” 1). Bell Wiley described the solders as “white, native-born, farmer, protestant, single, and between the age of 18 and 29. ” The average soldier was 5’8” tall and weighed 143 pounds (“Civil War Soldiers,” 1). These men came from a variety of places since the North featured an industrial economy. Most of the soldiers were farmers, but hundreds of previous careers were recorded. Some men were accountants, locksmiths, masons, painters, etc. (“Civil War Soldiers,” 1).

The youth and variety of occupations of the enlisted featured inexperienced soldiers. According to “Civil War Soldiers,” out of the 2. 75 million soldiers that fought in the Civil War, 2 million of them were from the North. Of these 2 million, ? were immigrants. 200,000 came from Germany, 150,000 were Irish, 45,000 were English, and 15,000 came from Canada (1). By the end of the war in 1865, 10% of Union troops were African Americans (“Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,” 1). These men were not only fighting to support the Union but also for their freedom.

Since white soldiers were fighting to support the Union the majority of the time, some financial compensation was provided to bring in more troops. The average wage for a Union soldier was $11 per month (“Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,” 1). These payments were irregular, though. Sometimes a soldier would wait six months before receiving even a single month’s earning (“Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,” 1). In 1864, the Confederacy raised their payments to $18 a month, and not long after the Union raised theirs to $16 (“Civil War Soldiers,” 1).

While soldiers were bringing in little money, a three star general could have earned as much as $700 per month (“Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,” 1). The earnings of each type of soldier demonstrate the diversity in their roles in the war. While some men only fought to make money for their family, some men fought to preserve the Union and to abolish slavery (“Civil War Soldiers,” 1). This quote demonstrates the pride soldiers had in what they were fighting for and showed some men would go to extreme lengths for what they believe in. “It has rained for a week and the roads are muddy.

After marching for 20 miles it is not pleasant to lie down at night in the wet without any cover. I am tired- in fact I never was so tired in my life. But Hurrah! It is all for the Union! ”-Elisha Rhodes The soldier’s pride was also shown through their standardized uniforms. The Union uniforms were more standardized than the Confederacy’s though some wore European style clothing or no uniform at all (“The Life of a Union Soldier”, 1). The dark blue uniforms were made from a heavy wool and worn with leather billed caps and stiff shoes (Winthrop, 1).

The soldiers may not have been comfortable but they were easily recognized through their regulation uniforms. Along with the uniforms, the soldiers also carried many necessities with them. According to (Winthrop, 1), they had knapsacks with extra clothes, rolled up wool, and rubber blankets. They carried haversacks with foods such as sat pork, coffee, sugar, dried peas, or pressed sheets of desiccated vegetables. A small canteen was carried over each man’s shoulder (“The Life of a Union Soldier”, 1). A Union soldier’s uniform can be seen in Figure 1.

Another item required for all soldiers was guns. Arms were in short supply, though, and they would sometimes have to wait months before a new shipment would arrive (“The Life of a Union Soldier”, 1). This lack of arms led to soldiers having to be conscious about what they do with and how they use their weapons. Knowledge of how to use weapons was taught during a camp’s daily routine. Soldiers would wake at the crack of dawn for roll call to ensure no one had tried to run during the night (“Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1”). After role call, daily duties were assigned.

Some men would be assigned to kitchen duty while others may have been in charge of arms for the day (“Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1”). Breakfast came next which was followed by drills. Soldiers would spend hours in the hot sun wearing their wool uniforms practicing battle formations or combat skills. The men would return to camp drenched in sweat and extremely tired (Alstyne, 1). After a hard day’s work it was not uncommon to find groups of people surrounding fires cooking and singing songs along with talking about the latest camp news (“Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1”).

Union soldiers favored songs like the “Battle Cry of Freedom,” “Red, White, and Blue,” and the “Star Spangled Banner” (“Civil War Soldiers,” 1). At 10:30 P. M. on the dot it was lights out so everyone could get some rest for the next day or exhaustion (“Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1”). Although soldiers hoped to get a good night’s rest, the sleeping conditions were not the best. Most camps had a single blanket on the ground with another as a cover (Alstyne, 1). Some lucky men got to sleep on straw mattresses (“Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1”).

The soldiers were exposed to nature at night due to the lack of cover provided by the tents. Muslin was drawn over a pole 3 feet from the ground and open at both ends (Alstyne, 1). This was considered “home” to the typical Union soldier. If it was raining, they had to sleep on the wet ground. Bugs and rodents were also common nighttime visitors at camp (Alstyne, 1). Most men did not get the rest they required from hours of strenuous drills during the day, leading to extreme exhaustion throughout the army. Not only were sleeping conditions undesirable, but the food the soldiers ate was not the best, either.

The most common meal was salted meats, “hardtrack,” and coffee (“The Life of a Union Soldier,” 1). Hardtrack was a term coined for the tasteless, hard crackers men became accustomed to eating. The feeling of being full was a sensation that was practically unheard of in the Union army. Food rations were small and far between so sometimes the soldiers would resort to foraging for fruits, berries, and game animals to satisfy their hunger (“Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1”).

Although food on the camps had little to no taste, everyone scraped their tin plates clean (Alstyne, 1). The starving soldiers would have eaten anything if it meant their stomach pains would temporarily subside. When the men were not doing drills or eating meals, they often found themselves bored. Some men would do chores like cook or clean (“Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,” 1). Games or dominoes, poker, or baseball often broke out in camps (“Civil War Soldiers,” 1). With the increasing literacy rates, many men could write home during free time (“The Life of a Union Soldier,” 1).

Along with writing, more and more men would read newspapers and journals. Although the soldiers had some time to themselves, they still had to be ready at a moment’s notice. Cycles of marching and intense fighting were included in the lives of soldiers in the North (“The Life of a Union Soldier,” 1). Periods of fighting led to mass injuries in the Union army. 360,000 men died during the Civil War from the North- about 110,000 in battle and 225,000 of disease (“Civil War Soldiers,” 1). The massive spread of disease through the army was linked to unsanitary conditions (“Civil War Soldiers,” 1).

Water sources were fouled so not only were the soldiers affected but also the environment and the residents in that area (“Civil War Soldiers,” 1). The injured did not fare much better than the ill. Doctors could do little for torso wounds, so these men were often doomed to die. Injuries to the extremities were often amputated (“Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,” 1). Life as a Union soldier was not easy. It involved hours of strenuous training on a daily basis paired with poor sleeping conditions.

These men gave their lives to fight for what they believed in and supported: the preservation of the Union and the abolition of slavery. A soldier never knew what the following day would hold. Would they be playing a friendly game of baseball at camp, marching to their next battle site, or be greeted with a day of intense fighting? 360,000 of the 2 million soldiers were killed during the war (“Civil War Soldiers,” 1). Fear did not stop soldiers from enlisting, though. Thousands of men signed up and left the lives they knew for small tents and tasteless hardtrack.