Nor'easter Pack II

TopT

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One on Iwo, one in the wastelands up around Murmansk. Would also be suitable for use in Tunisia.
I was going to buy the pack anyways but I am really looking forward to seeing the Iwo scenario.
 

Carln0130

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Pretty much anything "Iwo" I'm a sucker for as my dad was wounded on that island on 23 Feb '45.
Much respect to your dad. The gentleman on the cover is Tony Stein. The Iwo scenario includes him and his "stinger ".
 

csiemers

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A world of respect to all who endured that battle. Truly hell in a very small place. Even though I realize that book referred to Dien Bien Phu.
Yeah, my dad didn't talk about the ugly side of the war only the humorous events that happened. I only learned about the when and where of his wound after he passed away and I received his USMC paper work. In our house the rule was you didn't ask dad about the war unless he volunteered. Which was too bad as I wish I could have heard more.
 

sswann

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That is a common situation amoung most warriors. My expierences were in Viet Nam and all my kids heard were the humorous things that happen. The death, destruction and mayhem are black memories that I do not share, but I feel most confortable when I am with other Viet Nam Marines.
 

csiemers

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That is a common situation amoung most warriors. My expierences were in Viet Nam and all my kids heard were the humorous things that happen. The death, destruction and mayhem are black memories that I do not share, but I feel most confortable when I am with other Viet Nam Marines.
I have/had (1 passed away) 3 cousins who were chopper pilots in Nam. As I was the youngest of all the cousins I always looked up to them and what they did (though like most didn't talk about it).

Thanks for your service!
 

von Marwitz

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That is a common situation amoung most warriors. My expierences were in Viet Nam and all my kids heard were the humorous things that happen. The death, destruction and mayhem are black memories that I do not share, but I feel most confortable when I am with other Viet Nam Marines.
I find this an extremely interesting point.

Since I have taken a serious interest in war (though not on a professional basis), I always tried to understand: What does make a war happen? Basically, everyone knows that war is not a nice experience for almost everyone involved. So how come, that it 'works' time and again in human history?

I have understood a number of mechanisms which enable or ease war and killing on an individual basis as well as to bring it about in the grander scale. What I also found out that those who actually were in the thick of if very rarely speak of the 'idealism', the 'purpose', the 'justification', the 'patriotism' of the fighting. These are, so is my impression, motivations to sign up and to go. But they seem to play only a minor role, once actual fighting has been experienced. Then it appears to become more a matter to stick it out, and most importantly, help one's immediate buddies / platoon up to roughly company level to do the same, based on mutual trust that oneself would not be let down by them either.

I am imagining that for those who have fought and by personal experience know the death, destruction, mayhem and black memories the whole thing what war is really about might change rather fundamentally. Insofar as that those who did not share such an experience are simply not able 'to understand'. Probably this is why you and countless others feel comfortable among other veterans that 'do understand'.

Not talking about the death, destruction, mayhem and black memories of one's own war experiences will likely be intended to protect one's loved ones from these horrors. And maybe oneself, too. Though I am convinced that one will never be able to forget.

I was not yet deeply interested in war and conflict when relatives were still around who could have told me about their combat experiences in World War II. The ones who were handled it in a similar way as you. They would not talk about it by themselves. And they were rather reluctant or unable to do when queried.

Maybe it was for the reasons I mentioned. Maybe they feared that those who listend to them would be more interested in the 'attraction' of an exciting story. Or that they listenend against the background of the 'idealism', 'heroism', and 'adventure' aspects of war that they might 'know' from the movies while for the recounting veteran that 'movie' had been grim reality - and of couse it was not like a movie at all, nor about the things movies tell us what war is about.

In the end, I cannot tell for sure. And likely even I don't understand despite having dwelt on the matter for countless times and having read several 100,000 pages on various wars. I have not been there. And so far, no one who has been there was willing to answer.

I do respect that. And I would not trade the knowledge for the price of having been there myself.

The thing which concerns me about this are my worries that something might 'get lost in translation':

Those who have been in war are the only ones that really 'know'. I wish they could make the ones that weren't help 'understand'. If the knowledge about the real experiences of war fade or are not understood, then I am afraid that eventually new wars become more likely.

von Marwitz
 

Xavier 658

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Hi,

I am afraid that eventually new wars become more likely.
The world has always been at war, and alas, this will never change. So "new" wars are happening all the time... Sudan, Mali, Afghanistan, Tibet, Central Africa, Chad, and many more. Not to talk about the increasing possibilities of "civil" wars...

Cheers,

X
 

sswann

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Translation between warriors and non-warriors is, in my opinion, impossible.
Question... have you ever strangled a person with your own hands?
My statement... I wish I could forget.
How would anyone translate that on an emotional level?
This is the last that I will speak on this subject, too many memories.
 

pwashington

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Hi,



The world has always been at war, and alas, this will never change. So "new" wars are happening all the time... Sudan, Mali, Afghanistan, Tibet, Central Africa, Chad, and many more. Not to talk about the increasing possibilities of "civil" wars...

Cheers,

X
Having spent a career as an Army intelligence officer, there was never a shortage of "Hot Spots" to keep an eye on - fully concur with X. In the modern media environment, most "wars" won't make the evening news or newspaper front pages, or if they do, it isn't for more than a short mention. We owe a debt of gratitude to those who serve/served, and the understanding that, for those who saw combat, the only people who would really understand their experiences are their fellow brothers in arms. I'm not familiar with Tony Stein (my USMC historical knowledge is not as deep as my Army historical knowledge), but will look him up - is there a blurb on him included in the scenario pack?
 
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