Cost Of Freedom

We have all seen or read about the political and social upheavals caused by war. Some may have even experienced it first-hand. Throughout history war has had negative psychological implications on those effected. However, there is no greater negative impact of war than the psychological and emotional turmoil that it causes individual soldiers.

War is something that everyone has seen, whether it be up close and personal or through a screen, but it is clear, no matter where you are, that is it a liability for everyone involved. War was nothing more than a burden for the United States during World War I. It was no good and had the potential of affecting America negatively, economically, politically, and socially. George Washington conveys this idea in his Farewell Address. He states, “So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with

Wars are often glorified in tone to give praise and respect for those on the battlefields. There is an overall understanding that there are sacrifices needed in order to accomplish a larger goal. Excluded from this understanding is the realization that the effects of war

War leads to oppression and leaves negative implications on all people and societies by impacting the poor, women, children, and nations as a whole. "War is a state of violent conflict between one or more groups" (Rasenberger 3). Rasenberger defines war as a state of conflict between one group within itself or several groups in combat with each other, what is not mentioned are the after-effects of war. War itself leads to many civilian and military deaths, an estimated 1.5-3.8 million people died during the Vietnam War and an approximate 500,000 people died in the Iraq war. The biggest tragedy of War is that it always results in fatality, but another key, negative, factor to understand is that after the War many adverse implications arise. Post-war ramifications in the nation fall upon the poor, women, and children, making them weaker and less motivated leading to the downfall of a society. Regardless if a nation wins or is defeated in war they have to deal with consequences of war and find solutions to the impacted people and society. It is essential to understand that there is never a true victor in war because regardless of the outcome, fatality and a fall of morale within society on both sides are inevitable. War has often been the solution to situations that required force or violence, but in recent times this has

Furthermore, the lack of proper rehabilitation or care programs post-war will also reflect the state of the nations. After the catastrophes of war have subsided, the affected areas are left in not only physical ruin, but also mental and emotional ruin. Child soldiers, who have been separated from their families, are stuck between not knowing if their other family members were

Being in war is definitely one of the most life changing events a person will ever have whether it be for the better or for the worst. Soldiers will witness events that are impossible to forget or see back at home in the states. Some soldiers may have even seen one of their best friends that they’ve known for forever get blown up into pieces right next to them, or they might even get one of their own limbs blown off of their own bodies, becoming handicapped for life. As a result of seeing something so intense like that, most soldiers are usually traumatized. In matter of fact, a great amount of soldiers are traumatized from the very beginning of being in war. It’s without a doubt difficult to deal with this but there are some ways where

n history, war is a major factor to life. Without it, the Thirteen Colonies wouldn’t have become the United States of America, but one can not help thinking that there could have been another way around war. Surely enough, the split between families, the clash of generations, and the grim brutalities of war undermine its cause. Authors, Collier and Collier argue in their book My Brother Sam is Dead, set in the Revolutionary War, that war is futile and pointless.

I believe that wars were a huge factor in shaping and bringing us to the world we are in today. War may have been destructive, but it also generated so many developments in medicine, warfare, geopolitics and social relations with influence that still resonates today. Overall there were many benefits from wars such as the Revolutionary war, Mexican American War, Persian Gulf, as well as both World War 1 and 2. For example, the American Revolution had changed America, as it did lead to the establishment of an independent nation. The Mexican-American War had a significant impact on the United States and Mexico.

The recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been experienced not only on the battlefield but when they return, the war comes home with them. Military service members have to deal with the emotional and physical scars and the multiple civilian

If just the thought of what the soldiers endure would cause anxiety, one could imagine how mentally draining war must be. An example of the draining nature of war is how after Paul attacked adversary soldier named Gérard Duval, he certainly comprehended how war had “taxed his brain beyond endurance,” (Remarque 225). So, there was a major convergence between the German and Indian soldiers due to the emotional trauma of war. But, while there are very strong connections between the Indian and German soldiers through their correlated mental and physical trauma along with their mass lack of awareness of the details of war prior to enlisting, there is some divergence in the experiences of the soldiers. One of the divergences is money, but this could just be a divergence between these specifically soldiers or it could be the differing point on why these ordinary characters decided to fight for their empires. The German soldiers in All Quiet on the Western Front are basically living in poverty when fighting in the

“War at its basic level has always been about soldiers. Nations rose and fell on the strength of their armies and the men who filled the ranks.” This is a very powerful quote, especially for the yet young country of the United States, for it gives credit where credit is truly due: to the men who carried out the orders from their superiors, gave their blood, sweat and tears, and in millions of cases their lives while fighting for ideals that they believed their country or government was founded upon, and to ensure the continuation of these ideals. Up until the end of the 20th Century, they did so in the worst of conditions, and this includes not only the battle scene, but also every day life. In

The estimated cost for the war in the middle east totaled around four trillion dollars however not much of that is used in helping soldiers receive the mental health care that they need ( Moore). An Iraq war veteran, Tom Tarantino, brings up the sad truth on where the government's priorities lie when the issues of money arise, “If twenty two people were dying on the battlefield a day, like 22 veterans are dying by suicide a day, no one would be asking how much it costs; they would be shipping weapons and military enforcements there by tomorrow” ( Alarcon). Another upsetting but true fact is that some of the veterans that are willing to seek help, but can’t afford it get told by the army that they had the mental illness before the war thus getting out of paying for treatment. This has saved the United States army over 12.5 billion dollars ( Moore). The government needs to look at the big picture and see that the issue has become serious and money is needed to reverse the

As long as mankind has existed there have been warfare. Nations or groups fight each other over religion, believes and interests, and billions of soldiers has let their life fighting for their country and culture values and believes.

War has undoubtedly changed the vast majority of lives on this planet. Even the technology I am using to communicate this message is a product of war. Alan Turing developed the first computer, which was instrumental in the subsequent decryption of the Enigma code in World War II. The first jet aircraft was manufactured by the Luftwaffe to aid them in the same war, leading to today's primary mode of international travel. Countless medical breakthroughs and techniques are the direct product of war such as MRI, various drugs, and especially the laser. The United States even has a separate department, DARPA, whose contributions to the civilian lifestyle continue to innovate and impress. Many of these innovations, although funded for military reasons, have been invaluable to the human race, and we take them for granted day-to-day. From rockets, GPS, and Penicillin, to synthetic rubber, physics, and national defense, war may be hell, but it is certainly beneficial. The benefits of war are not restricted solely to technology; war is an effective catalyst for a nation's economy.

What is the price for FREEDOM? It's obvious that the price for freedom is not free but that it is rather large. After obtaining freedom, we look back and wonder was it worth it? Was freedom overpriced? In other words, did we sacrifice and pay too much to be free?