War interest but never served

Burton · Mar 19, 2011

I notice there are a great number of people who are very interested and very knowledgeable in WWII and military history in general but have themselves never served. I would be interested in hearing how that is reconciled.

Cobden · Mar 19, 2011

I'm not entirely certain it needs to be reconciled; we would never expect someone with an interest in the history of 19th Century London to have rickets, work in a iron smelting plant and send their children up chimneys; or an Art Historian to be able to paint.

Spitfire · Mar 19, 2011

My interest in Battle of Britain has absolutely nothing to do with the 14 months I wasted in the Signal Regiment, Danish Royal Army

Atticus Finch · Mar 19, 2011

Burton said:
I notice there are a great number of people who are very interested and very knowledgeable in WWII and military history in general but have themselves never served. I would be interested in hearing how that is reconciled.

Well, I have always believed that my failure to join the miliatry was the biggest mistake that I ever made...and I've made my share of mistakes. But, in all fairness, when I was eighteen, if you joined the United States military there was a good chance that you were going to Vietnam to get your ass shot off.

Please pardon my frankness.

When I became of military age (1973), the war in Vietnam had been going on for well over a decade. Thousands of young American men had been drafted and had died there, and American society had long since begun to question why. I'm not sure how to say this, but in those days, service in the US military just didn't have the patriotic allure that it does now. As a side note, and without inviting political discussion, I have often wondered how long our two current wars would continue to be fought if US military service again became compulsory...and everyone's kid had to go serve.

AF

HoosierDaddy · Mar 19, 2011

Your greatest failure is not serving...but you might get your ass shot off. :eusa_doh:
Of course you are being political which has little to do with th OP.
HD

Fletch · Mar 19, 2011

IMHO, not political so much as acknowledging his and many other young men's position at that time: between a rock (his own country) and a hardplace ('Nam).

I'd say it's an academic question at this point. Like asking how long it would take to reach full employment if the gov't demanded every business hire 5% more help. There's about as much chance of the draft coming back. Maybe less.

For my part, I gained my interest thru my family knowing WW2 veterans, mostly Navy, from their own service in the late 50s. (My own focus is aviation in the pre-war era.)

Reconciliation? Bad eyesight, psychological issues, and latterly, Type 2 diabetes.

Atticus Finch · Mar 19, 2011

HoosierDaddy said:
Your greatest failure is not serving...but you might get your ass shot off. :eusa_doh:
Of course you are being political which has little to do with th OP.
HD

Van, we've discussed this before in another venue. Perhaps we should just agree to disagree.

AF

green papaya · Mar 19, 2011

Burton said:
I notice there are a great number of people who are very interested and very knowledgeable in WWII and military history in general but have themselves never served. I would be interested in hearing how that is reconciled.

there are also a great number of people that served in the military that have no interest in military history in general and are not interested in studying about it or collecting militaria

there are lots of people that like the history of WWII and collecting NAZI items but that doesnt mean they support the Nazi regime

some people just like history

HoosierDaddy · Mar 19, 2011

Atticus Finch said:
Van, we've discussed this before in another venue. Perhaps we should just agree to disagree.

AF

..or maybe just left it in that other venue that was closed due to the bitter political flavor.

HoosierDaddy · Mar 19, 2011

Fletch said:
IMHO, not political so much as acknowledging his and many other young men's position at that time: between a rock (his own country) and a hardplace ('Nam).

Take my word for it...War is always a hardplace...especially concerning those who have firsthand knowledge.
HD

Gene · Mar 19, 2011

First off, the history of WWII has nothing to do with joining the Armed Forces. It was a significant cultural and sociological event that is more than just about military history. The effects it had on society, the aftermath and the changes and shifts in the way the world works can all be studied from a world view right down to your own personal family history. There was not one American or European or Asian or African from 1941-1945 that was in some way affected by the war.

This is all quite apart from the fact that today's military has nothing to do with a military from 60+ years ago. Did you know that the percentage for draftees was actually higher in WWII than Vietnam?

Atticus Finch · Mar 19, 2011

BTW, I would not want anyone here to think that I evaded the draft. I did not. On my eighteenth birthday, I went to our courthouse and registered and received by draft card. By then, there was no such thing as a college deferment and I didn't even try to join the National Guard. Instead, like most of my friends, I just went about my business and waited. By 1973, the overt war in Vietnam was winding down and troops were being brought home, but everone worried the conflict would simply move elsewhere in Southeast Asia. In fact, the US involvement in Vietnam didn't end until 1975 or so, but my draft call never came.

And I didn't volunteer.

AF

Widebrim · Mar 19, 2011

HoosierDaddy said:
Take my word for it...War is always a hardplace...especially concerning those who have firsthand knowledge.
HD

You're right about that, Drill Sergeant, which is why many combat vets aren't interested in re-enacting. But to those people who do participate, and have an interest in military/naval history, my cap is off to you.

Widebrim · Mar 19, 2011

Cobden said:
I'm not entirely certain it needs to be reconciled; we would never expect someone with an interest in the history of 19th Century London to have rickets, work in a iron smelting plant and send their children up chimneys; or an Art Historian to be able to paint.

Having rickets, working in a smelting plant, and sending your children up chimneys are not common conditions/endeavors in 21st century London, chap, and nobody would expect an historian to indulge in them (although I suppose an argument could be made for the affirmative...). You can, however, still readily join the military/naval service in order to (perhaps) gain greater insight into the operations of the armed forces, their culture, and their history.

HungaryTom · Mar 19, 2011

I think even from those who have served, or even those who have seen actual combat throughout the world there are very few nowadays who have seen WW2. My dad was born in 1942, he told me he remembers one airplane diving and firing, so it must have been in 1945. Next year he turns 70... Grandma, who saw the casualties in the St. Rochus hospital and survived the siege of Budapest, is now 86...
In this respect the "armchair generals" are alike, since the generation who actually fought the battles of the war, enthusiasts know by heart are actually dying out due to the time lapsed.
I must agree that WW2 is a unique event, culturally, technologically so it will be always 'in Fashion'.

HT

cco23i · Mar 19, 2011

I must be a sick person, I am a retired (27 years) air force crew chief and I formed a Ground crew living history unit. I have always been interested in the military and decided to enlist to fix airplanes at 18.

Scott

Atomic Age · Mar 19, 2011

Historians are rarely directly involved with the history they are reporting on. Even if that history is happening right in front of them, IE Edward R. Murrow, or Wolf Blitzer. Of course these men are professional reporters.

Those who become interested in the events, say those who are WW2 buffs, I think are interested precisely BECAUSE they weren't there. WW2 again for example is an event that is so large that its a little difficult to wrap your head around. Of course the war is self was horrible, but it was also the time when the U. S. (and frankly the ailed forces) were most unified in a common cause. Add to that the trappings of the era, fashion, cars and some pretty damn good music, and you have something that is irresistible to many people. And lets not even get started with the way the movies of the era glamorized, no just the war, but that time and place.

Doug

doctor dan · Mar 19, 2011

Thought I would put my 2 cents in. My Dad entered the Army in 1939 because he smelled a war comming. I voluntered in 68 but the Recruter said that I should wait till I finished school but was drafted in 70 anyways. The men in our family aren't to bright. I like to collect but just can't see myself becomming a reenactor. It's just to close to home. I don't see any problem with people collecting or staging events to give the public a little taste of how things were. To me, Reenactors pay a tribute to my Dad and all the Fathers and Sons and Moms and Daughters that served in some capacity. If people didn't collect eventualy everything would be forgotten and that would be a crime.

Atterbury Dodd · Mar 19, 2011

I love military history. The main reason I haven't joined the service is that I think the wars in the middle east will be over before I would be out of training. I know that sounds brash, but this is the last war in a while in that we have actually been attacked. I am not afraid to die for the security of my home and family if it is warranted (yes I do know what war means, it's no fun).

1961MJS · Mar 19, 2011

Hi

I graduated from HS in 1979 and went to engineering school. My Dad (USAAF Master Sergeant 41-45) told me to NOT immediately join ROTC, watch and see what they're like. The ones I met weren't "the best of the best" so I didn't join up. I would like to note that the ones I met (with ONE exception) didn't finish college much less receive a commission. I work in aerospace and have worked on military aircraft for most of my career. In many respects, I feel that I should have joined the military (probably the USAF) to serve, for the experience, and to better understand my job. You make decisions based on the facts as you see them at the time, and I didn't join up. I found it interesting that H. Norman Schwarzkopf believed that 1975 to 1980 (roughly didn't look for the quote) was the worst time to be in the US military. That's the time I would have been in.

I started reading about the Civil War and WW2 in grade school. I read all of the short biographies of Kit Carson, US Grant, Johnny Appleseed, David Farragut, and others while I was in 5th grade. From my reading about WW2, I was glad that Vietnam ended before I had to go. No rationing, in Vietnam for one year, we didn't seem to be trying as hard to win as in WW2. From my LATER reading on WW2, there were a lot of people here at home that were more interested in making more $ than winning too.

Just my $0.02.

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