The Veterans' Plight

[L Verge]

I just received notice of another new book. Marching Home: Union Vets and Their Unending Civil War by Brian Matthew Jordan uses first-hand accounts to show the problems that faced the soldiers in 1865, as they returned to civilian life. As one phrase goes, "...they won the war, but couldn't bear the peace."

It should be interesting to see these accounts from the Union veterans' perspective since such achievement of "peace" has eluded many soldiers throughout history. While this book focuses on Union soldiers and on our particular war of interest, these stories are not unique to just 1865.

[STS Lincolnite]

(02-07-2015 12:48 PM)L Verge Wrote:  I just received notice of another new book: Marching Home: Union Vets and Their Unending Civil War by Brian Matthew Jordan uses first-hand accounts to show the problems that faced the soldiers in 1865, as they returned to civilian life. As one phrase goes, "...they won the war, but couldn't bear the peace."

It should be interesting to see these accounts from the Union veterans perspective since such achievement of "peace" has eluded many soldiers throughout history. While this book focuses on Union soldiers and on our particular war of interest, these stories are not unique to just 1865.

Thanks for sharing this Laurie. I agree that the topic is interesting and addresses issues that are still alive and relevant today with regards to our soldiers returning home from military conflicts.

[LincolnToddFan]

That sounds like a wonderful read Laurie thanks. Also agree with your insightful comment about the sad phenomenon of peace eluding veterans returning from war.

This is painfully relevant to the times we live in now.

[L Verge]

I'm old enough to remember WWII veterans of my parents' generation who returned from Europe, but left their spirits behind. There used to be a joke about mental patients being assigned classes in basket weaving. A member of my extended family through marriage learned that craft and also beautiful embroidery after going through treatments for his "shell shock" while in the European theater of that war.

A friend's father was a survivor of the Bataan Death March and sort of wandered through the rest of his life sad and forlorn and unable to deal with others. My own father came through WWII and the Korean War and turned to alcohol for solace. My generation really brought the effects of war home with the wide publicity they continue to generate about their problems of returning to society following Vietnam. And then, there's the Gulf War and what now seems to be the war that will have no end...

And, of course, the Southern side of me thinks that a similar book should be written on the effects of the Civil War on the defeated soldier who returned with his memories of death and destruction -- and faced both situations again when he got home to find family members dead and once-fertile lands and cities and homes torched by the victors. One can only hope that all-out war never comes to U.S. shores again. We're having a hard enough time dealing with the criminals who are pulling down our society and culture without a declared war. Thanks for allowing me another catharsis.

[Gene C]

(02-07-2015 07:24 PM)L Verge Wrote:  There used to be a joke about mental patients being assigned classes in basket weaving.

I remember in the old movie "Francis" the talking mule with Donald O'Conner. Donald is sent to the psych ward, where he does basket weaving, because he told the doctors a mule talked to him
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/241153755019737100/

[STS Lincolnite]

(02-07-2015 08:31 PM)Gene C Wrote:  

(02-07-2015 07:24 PM)L Verge Wrote:  There used to be a joke about mental patients being assigned classes in basket weaving.

I remember in the old movie "Francis" the talking mule with Donald O'Conner. Donald is sent to the psych ward, where he does basket weaving, because he told the doctors a mule talked to him
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/241153755019737100/

Was Francis before or after "the famous Mr. Ed"?

[Gene C]

(02-07-2015 08:35 PM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  Was Donald before or after "the famous Mr. Ed"?

Fido tells me it was before

[L Verge]

(02-07-2015 08:36 PM)Gene C Wrote:  

(02-07-2015 08:35 PM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  Was Donald before or after "the famous Mr. Ed"?

Fido tells me it was before

And Fido is correct. Francis the Talking Mule was one of the few movies that my father would go to see (I believe there was a series of them). He loved slapstick comedy, Ma and Pa Kettle, and anything starring Bob Hope. When Mr. Ed became the TV version, he would watch that also. He generally would only watch sports, otherwise.

[LincolnMan]

Talk about "veteran's plight-" a local (here in my area in Michigan)Viet Nam veteran was found dead in his house of hypothermia. He couldn't afford to pay the utility bill. So sad...

[L Verge]

(02-08-2015 12:48 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  Talk about "veteran's plight-" a local (here in my area in Michigan)Viet Nam veteran was found dead in his house of hypothermia. He couldn't afford to pay the utility bill. So sad...

And too proud to ask for help (his "entitlement..."). Truly sad.

[LincolnMan]

Yes Laurie- i'm sure that was the case. I don't know the paticulars of what assistance he had sought for- if any- but there probably were options available.