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Life during wartime
Canada: five years in Europe and now in Afghanistan
The author, the same age as Canadian soldiers sent to war today, looks at the big war of the past for effects across the ages
By Tessica Messmer
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How much time do we spend thinking about world affairs and how they affect our daily lives? In the midst of demanding jobs, hectic families, and, for some of us, a never diminishing pile of school readings and exams, do we have time to ponder war in Afghanistan, for example, or the lasting effects of World War II?
For young Canadians sent to Europe, World War II lasted 69 months; Canadian troops have now been in Afghanistan for 61 months, with no end in sight.
The two wars can be compared in other ways, too.
How has Canada, a peaceful country, landed in such a lengthy war once again? I went to a seniors’ home in downtown Vancouver, to the smoking room, to meet an 83-year-old World War II veteran. With a proud look on his face, he made it clear that he volunteered to sign up for the war: it was “his duty.” He recalled for me how he left his family to live and fight in various convoys in Europe over four years.
Had he ever questioned the reason he was there fighting a war? He assured me they were all “just doing what had to be done for [their] country.” When I asked him about Canada’s war in Afghanistan, he responded bitterly, saying “I don’t know what the hell is going on . . . . Everyone is killing everyone.”
Peace-lover
He says war is a terrible thing, that regardless of a person’s “nationality, they are human beings, a brother, a father,” and they are all getting tragically killed. No matter how strong one’s love of country or how serious one’s nationalism, he does not believe war is ever the answer; he is a self proclaimed “peace-lover.”
I asked him what changes might happen in our society after the war in Afghanistan ends. He looked away and quietly recited the lyrics from an Ed McCurdy song, Strangest Dream, written in 1950: “Last night I had the strangest dream I’d ever dreamed before / I dreamed the world had all agreed to put an end to war . . . The people in the streets below were dancing ‘round and ‘round / While swords and guns and uniforms were scattered on the ground.” Not only did this old soldier’s ability to quote something 57 years old amaze me, but his undying hope that peace will one day be accomplished astounded me.
I put the same questions to people who, like me, range in age between 17 and 21. They all exhibited great knowledge of the Middle East and were eager to share opinions. They pointed to the United States to explain why Canada is mixed up in military antics in Afghanistan. Although Canada may have deployed for our usual peacemaking duties, we have since turned to more aggressive aims—although one person pointed out that violence was necessary to accomplish Canada’s goal to rebuild this war-torn country: the troops “need security . . . and force is the only way to get it now.” All were in agreement that Afghanistan needs assistance, but they felt that it should come from an overall group of countries, not any one identified country. A controversial topic also arose around whether Canada really had a choice in going, given our relationship to America.
Desensitized
The young people were also concerned about “the desensitization of our society towards the killing going on,” because it seems we can watch the six o’clock news and get ready for dinner, even while hearing horror stories and seeing children with one arm yelling for their dead parents. We might feel a moment of anguish, but then we continue heating the veggies in the microwave. The young people I spoke to expressed their frustration about never knowing whether the information they received was “manipulated” or “biased.” The one certainty they all stood by was not feeling obligated as young people to go to war: “[We’re] not into war, baby,” one smiled.
By 61 months into World War II, Germany had already faced losses in the Battle of Britain and at Stalingrad, and it was clear the Axis powers were done. But I cannot imagine Canadian troops coming home by October of this year, when the Afghanistan war will exceed the duration of World War II. There has to be something wrong. Afghanistan needs help, but we should be able to offer more medicine, food, water, and guidance, not more shooting. No wonder they are so opposed to us taking over their government!
What Canada needs is more strongly-opinionated citizens to help get us through this and any future war with pride and courage, as well as a clearer mission.
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