Question How do the themes in memoirs convey the effects of war on soldiers from different time periods and conflicts? Response Despite the numerous amounts of war texts to emerge from global conflicts, only a select few have been able to capture a sense of danger for the audience when exploring the text. Both With the Old Breed and House To House explore the personal accounts of American frontline soldiers on foreign land fighting in major conflicts. This essay begins with overviews of the how the effects of war are presented in memoirs and how these affect the soldiers. The effects of war to be covered include the idea of nationalistic pride for serving in the army, the cruelty and hardships soldiers endure being exposed to graphic imagery associated with war and the loss of ethical reasoning in combat zones leading to degradation of morals and humanity. War memoirs are a prevalent and choice way for veterans of any war theater to express their opinions or experiences of war. By using this method, detailed recounts of an author’s perspective of their personal war experience can be documented. Veterans may use this style of writing as a way to cope with the psychological after effects of war in contrast to a truthful account of their experience. One of the more acknowledged memoirs to emerge from World War 2, which has had a Mini-series adaptation, With the Old Breed by Eugen B. Sledge demonstrates the horrors of a frontline infantry man serving as a United States marine in the Pacific theater of war. Sledge is constantly conflicted by his actions and choices throughout the book as the audience is engaged with the everyday struggle of dealing with conflict, heat, disease, combat fatigue and the environment of the harsh temperamental Islands of Pelelui and Okinawa. David Bellavia’s Memoir, House to House, relates to a more current conflict this being the War in Iraq. Bellavia accounts for the actions of his division throughout the second battle of Fallujah but also deals with the relationships made by soldiers who survive combat zones. Bellavia demonstrates the intensity of Iraq close quarter combat situations whilst delving into personal matters longing for his wife and child at home and the hardship of dealing with child and youth military units. Pride of Country and Nationalism By contextualizing the nature of nationalism and how powerful the idea of serving the country during war time was in World War Two, an understanding of Eugene B. Sledge’s decisions to join the Marine Corps can be made. From the beginning of the memoir, With the Old Breed, Sledge explores the fear of shame firstly by describing some of the reasons why he has enlisted stating, [I] [was] “prompted by a deep feeling of uneasiness that the war might end before I could get overseas into combat,” from this line an understanding of Sledge’s eagerness to serve his country is obtainable. Sledge’s commitment is demonstrated again as he states leaving his college education, which could potentially result in a high ranking title in the army, in order to have the opportunity to establish time overseas. Sledge’s Juvenile eagerness exemplifies the nature and beliefs of the American society and the innocent nature of the home fronts’ idea of the war overseas. This sense of nationalism is implied to almost completely blind Sledge as he even understands the liability of serving in the army as he states“ The fact that our own lives might end violently or that we might be crippled while we were still boys didn't seem to register.” From the perspective of a modern audience the idea of risking your life in combat overseas may seem frightening and futile. This mindset has contributed to the change of the style in which war memoirs are written such as in Bellavia’s House to House where nationalistic pride isn’t mentioned with high importance. How Veterans Endure the Physical and Emotional Stress of Combat With the Old Breed demonstrates how a soldier in combat is exposed to horrific imagery and how Eugene B. struggles to cope with the effects of war after and during his service in the Marines Corps. Sledg