I have been watching an old TV series on netflix. The second season in the series is following one American man's journey through WWI.
In the series, this young man is idealistic and joins the war by using both a false name and age and enlisting in the Belgium Army prior to the US's involvement.
He ends up fighting in the horrific nightmarish trenches of Verdun in France, crossing the Congo on African soil and then is placed in Russia during the Soviet uprising and sneaking into Austria to help Emporer Karl go behind German Kaiser Wilhelm's back to try to stop Austria's involvement in the war.
I have actually learned more watching this series than I did all the way through high school...or school in general. But that is not why I am writing this.
As I have been watching this, I am amazed at just how many areas the war was fought, how many different countries, and continents as well. It seems that there were spies and enemies everywhere. One really never knew who was their ally, who to trust.
I also am aware that their is a war going on around us. All the time. What has been hitting me though, is the intensity of the battle that is waging around me. Right now.
The enemy has held ground on my concience for quite some time, although I didn't realize just how much. In an attempt to irradicate this enemy, I have taken on allies. These allies have helped me gain much needed ground in this battle.
The funny thing is, there are always casualties in war.
WWI was started because a man, heir apparent to the Emporer of the Austria-Hungary Empire and his wife were assassinated. Let's see, that's two casualties.
Wikipedia states that the casualties in WWI, by the end of the war was 37 million. 16 million deaths and 21 million wounded. Wow.
Then I think, If Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife could have seen the outcome of that one singular event, would they have chosen for their country to go to war to avenge their deaths? I would hope they would have been appalled and said no. 2 deaths vs. 16 million? No contest.
While I appreciate my allies and that they are willing to battle for me, I am not willing to incur any more casualties. If I am a casualty, then so be it. But to have my allies wounded battling for me? Or worse, to have those allies fall from friendly fire?
No contest.
In the series, this young man is idealistic and joins the war by using both a false name and age and enlisting in the Belgium Army prior to the US's involvement.
He ends up fighting in the horrific nightmarish trenches of Verdun in France, crossing the Congo on African soil and then is placed in Russia during the Soviet uprising and sneaking into Austria to help Emporer Karl go behind German Kaiser Wilhelm's back to try to stop Austria's involvement in the war.
I have actually learned more watching this series than I did all the way through high school...or school in general. But that is not why I am writing this.
As I have been watching this, I am amazed at just how many areas the war was fought, how many different countries, and continents as well. It seems that there were spies and enemies everywhere. One really never knew who was their ally, who to trust.
I also am aware that their is a war going on around us. All the time. What has been hitting me though, is the intensity of the battle that is waging around me. Right now.
The enemy has held ground on my concience for quite some time, although I didn't realize just how much. In an attempt to irradicate this enemy, I have taken on allies. These allies have helped me gain much needed ground in this battle.
The funny thing is, there are always casualties in war.
WWI was started because a man, heir apparent to the Emporer of the Austria-Hungary Empire and his wife were assassinated. Let's see, that's two casualties.
Wikipedia states that the casualties in WWI, by the end of the war was 37 million. 16 million deaths and 21 million wounded. Wow.
Then I think, If Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife could have seen the outcome of that one singular event, would they have chosen for their country to go to war to avenge their deaths? I would hope they would have been appalled and said no. 2 deaths vs. 16 million? No contest.
While I appreciate my allies and that they are willing to battle for me, I am not willing to incur any more casualties. If I am a casualty, then so be it. But to have my allies wounded battling for me? Or worse, to have those allies fall from friendly fire?
No contest.
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