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American Sacrifices When the declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, it marked the beginning of a country based upon the ideals of freedom and equality. For over two centuries, these core principles have remained completely intact. This would not be possible without the sacrifice of thousands of courageous men throughout America’s history both on the battlefield and at home. One person who perfectly embodies the idea of sacrifice in both military and civilian life is James Dowling. For most of his youth, James Dowling lived in poverty. Born in Smithtown, New York His mother died when he was only six months old and his foster parents struggled to make ends meet after the Great Depression (Brokaw 430-31). As a teenager, Dowling met and fell deeply in love with a young girl named Dorothy Owen. When he was drafted into the army in 1943, Dowling promised Dorothy that he would marry her as soon as he returned home (Brokaw 431). During his time in service, Dowling participated in various air raids over Germany. After a failed attack on Kassel, Germany, Dowling was captured and placed in a Prisoner of War camp and declared missing in action (Brokaw 432). While in The POW camp, Dowling never lost hope. He sent a telegram to Dorothy from the camp reassuring her that he was fine and reiterating his intent to marry her as soon as possible. In the telegram, Dowling sweetly writes “… I am alive and well, can’t wait to get home and get married (Brokaw 433).” A few short months later, Dowling was liberated from prison and married to his beloved Dorothy. Even after his military career ended, Dowling continued to devote himself to service and sacrifice. He helped the youth in his community by organizing little league baseball... ... middle of paper ... ... people to let nothing keep them from contributing to the war effort as much as they can. Had Dowling been British rather than American, Churchill’s speech would more than likely stir him to take arms for his country. In short, both the life of James Dowling and the message of “Be Ye men of Valor” are strong arguments in favor of Schweitzer’s assertion that people are able to derive an indescribable pleasure from service. Both Dowling and Churchill were driven by service in their life and both of them became the men they were because of their service. The sense of accomplishment one feels from serving for a cause is throughout the ages and around the world. Works Cited Brokaw, Tom. The Greatest Generation. New York: Columbia UP, 1998. Churchill, Winston. “ Be Ye Men of Valor.” Glencoe Literature: The Readers Choice. Columbus: Mcgraw-Hill, 2002.
His actions at Holtzwihr, France also showed duty to the men he fought with. The way I can show this in my character is by doing what I need to do for my job. Officially and unofficially. I...
Winkle was left to gather his thoughts and rectify them on his own. Despite the fact that he had the blood of others on his hands and once enjoyed it. Winkle realized “If anything the war made him appreciate life more, helped him see what was important” (Wrinkle111).
Walton, Anthony. Hilda Solis. Kennedy, Caroline, ed. Profiles in Courage for Our Time. New York: Hyperion, 2002. 269-292. Print.
John Wade left America a human being, yet came back a human killer. His months in Vietnam were filled with bloodshed and human atrocity, and from this, no man could feasibly return the same person. Yet beneath what John endured throughout the war, he suffered many unkindness’ and tragedies that shaped him into adulthood. It was not only the war that made John Wade, but it was John Wade’s existence; his whole life that made him who he was.
In The Red Badge of Courage, Henry Fleming was drawn to enlist by his boyhood dreams. His highly romanticized notion of war was eclectic, borrowing from various classical and medieval sources. Nevertheless, his exalted, almost deified, conception of the life of a soldier at rest and in combat began to deflate before the even the ink had dried on his enlistment signature. Soon the army ceased to possess any personal characteristics Henry had once envisioned, becoming an unthinking, dispas...
Hemingway, Ernest. "Soldier's Home." The Bedford Introduction to Literature, 6th Edition. Ed. Michael Meyer. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's. 2002. 152-57.
"This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped shells, were destroyed by the war."
In the literary work, Speaking of Courage, Tim O’Brien highlights the trying struggle of a post-war solider attempting desperately to integrate himself back into American society. Paul Berlin’s trials and tribulations exemplify the “dominance of a citizen culture in the United States,” as mentioned by Dr. Decker in class. American society does not allow for the soldiers we have sent off to fight to return as warriors.
Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the time of World War II, used the elements of Pathos, Ethos, and Logos in order to have the House proclaim their confidence in the government with his speech, “Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat”. Pathos was used in a manner to explain to the House and the whole Country in general what his goal was for his country. Churchill was willing to sacrifice for the safety of the United Kingdom, “victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival” (Churchill P5). Churchill means that even if the country of the United Kingdom has to lose or sacrifice in order to rise above Germany, that is their goal because if they don’t try to fight back, they will be doomed anyways as Hitler tries to conquer the world. Churchill offers credibility with the use of Ethos in order to show what the Nazi party is planning, “wage war, by sea, by air...
It is ingrained in soldier’s minds that to die for ones country is a great and honourable sacrifice. However, in the poem Dulce et Decorum Est the speaker uses powerful words and images to portray that patriotic propaganda is an “old lie” (Owen 27). In the first stanza, the speaker explains the effects that war has on young soldiers: “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks/ Knock- Kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge” (Owen 1-2). Propaganda portrays soldiers as being young heroes, those who are strong, healthy and vigorous. However, based on the evidence expressed in the previous quotation soldiers are not all what propaganda
Sadly, this wasn’t without bloodshed and sacrifice that our forefathers pledged themselves to. They knew they had great wealth, families, homes, businesses, and everything to lose. However, they were willing to risk it all for the cause of liberty. These were real heroes. Heroes whose actions one often takes for granted as a free American. America is not free because of what has been accomplished in recent days. This is a two hundred and thirty-nine year victory. Of all accomplished battles, this is our oldest and by far the most important. The question was why did the founders write the Declaration of Independence. Let it be known that they did not for themselves but for their country. Modest men of great means and material wealth and they wanted and desired no praise. Humble men receive great praise because they don’t desire it but deserve it. Americans should always pledge their lives, their fortunes and their sacred
In this part of the speech, General MacArthur describes the things that unbelievers will teach them. When someone does not have hope in you, they would downgrade you and see you as weak. However with these downgrades, great American soldiers weren't beaten down, but instead make them as unbendingly more strong, make them braver to face their fear. Here,
Keegan, John and Richard Holmes. Soldiers: A History Of Men In Battle. New York: Viking Penguin Inc., 1986.
Albert Schweitzer once said, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” This quote applies to James Dowling’s life when it speaks of the happiness that can be found in serving. Instead of taking the path of the bragging war hero that seeks glory for his ego, Dowling took the path of the humble servant, who, although great, serves others. For example, even though he was a celebrated veteran, he did not spend all of his time on selfish ventures and parties; Dowling volunteered his extra time for the benefit of the children of his town: “Since I had my afternoons free I started organizing baseball games for the little kids, including my five sons. I’d buy the bats and balls and before long we had forty or fifty kids in the league” (Brokaw 433). By giving of himself, Dowling was actually receiving: he was able to spend time with his kids that would have otherwise gone to waste. Therefore, it goes to show that those who will be really happy are those who have sought ...
... us making time in our busy lives to serve people in need, they too will learn the importance of self-sacrifice. Our actions speak louder than our words. We can preach to them all day long about service and sacrificing for others, but if they don’t witness our active participation in these acts, they will likely follow our example and not heed our words.