William

IRP #1

It doesn’t matter what time period it occurred in; war is still war. As the centuries have
gone by, some aspects have changed drastically while others remain untouched. In his book,
The Red Badge of Courage​, Stephen Crane chronicles the story of a young man who goes off
to fight for the Union during the Civil War. With the Civil War being over 150 years ago, when
the main character's life in the military is compared to modern military life, many aspects are
now nearly unrecognizable. But, in many ways, some aspects remain very similar to what they
were then.
There are many parts of war that have changed very little over the course of centuries.
An area where that has remained is the psychological toll war has on an individual. Even for
people who grow up waiting for their chance to serve their nation, there has and always will be,
a little bit of fear that creeps into the back of their minds. A large reason that fear exists is
because there are large amounts of uncertainty that go along with being a soldier. Stephen
Crane highlights many causes for this uncertainty during the time of the Civil War. Many of
these same causes hold true for today’s soldiers. At times, soldiers can experience long periods
of waiting for new orders or missions. But, what makes these periods all the more antagonizing,
is the fact that the new order could come tomorrow, or it could come months from now. Often
times, soldiers know so little about what their future holds. This lack of knowledge can cause
one to experience nerves and become impatient. Another uncertainty arises because this is a
new experience unlike anything the person has ever encountered. As a result, both now and
then, many new soldiers struggle with feeling of personal inadequacy. They worry that they
won’t have what it takes or won’t rise up to the challenges they will face. The last uncertainty
that soldiers face is probably the largest of all. Each day, they know they may encounter a
situation where their life is put in jeopardy. In the Civil War, and still today, soldiers make plans
with others for a course of action if they perish while serving their country. For example, on page
27, Henry’s best friend gives him a package of items to send to his family if he doesn’t survive
the battle. Just like now, families of soldiers in the Civil War also faced trials of uncertainty. Their
children were going away and engaging in a new lifestyle that was full of danger. They had to
deal with the daily stress of not knowing if their child was safe. Many mothers nowadays are
hesitant to send their children off to war. This was no different back in the 1860s.
Many of the emotions soldiers feels have survived the centuries unscathed. The danger
and intensity of these battles can instill fear in even the most seasoned veteran. Two more
emotions are addressed on pages 32 and 33 of ​The Red Badge of Courage​. First, fighting
against the same foe for the same cause can connect people of different backgrounds and
cause a sense of unity. We see that in the military, there is a sense of brotherhood that comes
from trusting others with your safety. The other emotion mentioned is anger. When you see
something you feel very strongly is wrong, it creates a sense of anger. Then, if you are on the
front lines fighting against it, the feeling is intensified. Another emotion soldiers face is
loneliness and homesickness. They are often far from those they love with limited
communication. As a result, they dream of returning home and seeing their families. The new
experiences that soldiers face, when coupled with these emotions, can cause a person’s
personality to change. As is noted on page 80, people can become less boisterous and
lighthearted. Others begin to see their purpose and value and become more self-confident.
There are some other general similarities between the military now and then. The
hierarchy of the military was much the same as it is now. Your chain of command has remained
intact. Also, most soldiers live in barracks that they share with many other soldiers, while officers
have their own houses. Lastly, in the time of the Civil War, and still today, the military has a
reputation for foul language.
Although many aspects of war have remained the same since the Civil War, many others
have changed drastically. A great of example of the changes that have taken place is the
equipment used. In the Civil War, buildings used for bases were much different than bases are
now. Current bases are much more permanent, because a single base can cover a larger area
since transportation has improved drastically. According to Stephen Crane, houses and
buildings were built and improved as the occupants stayed. The buildings were huts with log
walls. A folded tent served as a roof and cracker boxes served as furniture. The buildings
contained a single window and had chimneys made of clay and sticks, making them a big fire
hazard. For doors, huts had a hole in the wall. To keep these buildings warm, fireplaces were
always seen crackling, causing the rooms to become smoky. These buildings would be much
different from what you find on a military base now. A large reason for this is improving
technology. The military can now build barracks with other materials that are much more durable
and insulating. The barracks don’t have fireplaces, since that is too much of a fire hazard.
Although they are still not roomy, they have furniture that is at least not just repurposed junk.
There are some differences between the field camps in the Civil War and in the present
era of the military. A large difference in the approach used now is an emphasis on concealment.
During the Civil War this emphasis was not present. On pages 78 through 82, a Civil War camp
is described. Trees are chopped down to use as firewood for the many fires dotting the camp. In
the morning the troops would be awakened by the regimental drum and bugle. For breakfast
they might eat fresh meat toasted on a stick over a fire. To go along with the meat might be a
steamy, iron-colored liquid in a small, sooty tin pail. None of this would occur in a modern-day
military camp. All of these actions would draw too much unwanted attention. Chopping trees
would make too much noise. A fire would be seen as a beacon for the enemy. Therefore, a
breakfast such as is described would be impossible. Instead, soldiers would consume an MRE.
Also, the wake-up call would be too noisy and would give away their position.
Personal equipment has changed as well. One person in the regiment had the
responsibility of keeping the flag. This flag was carried all of the time, even into battle. This is
different from current practice. Now, the flag is carried mostly for ceremonial purposes and not
on the front lines. This is because a flag flying high serves as a target for enemies. It gives away
your position to the enemy and now, with secrecy and surprise being so important, such a
practice is illogical. The personal weapon has changed as well. During the Civil War, each
soldier carried a musket, as is seen in Stephen Crane’s book. Technology has brought the
personal weapon a long ways. In the modern military, the personal weapon is specialized to
each person’s role. Some soldiers carry sniper rifles, others carry assault rifles. These firearms
are much more high powered. Modern rifles are also much more efficient. As is described on
page 94, before a musket could be fired, a cartridge had to be stuffed down the barrel and
pounded with a ramrod. This process took a very long time when compared to modern
weapons. Now, automatic weapons are available, meaning that multiple rounds can be shot at
the same time without any delay. Lastly, weapons during the Civil War were much less
accurate. Stephen Crane describes this inaccuracy on page 28 of ​The Red Badge of Courage​.
In his narrative, a reserve unit not even in the combat faced fire intended for a completely
different unit. This fire wasn’t missing its target by inches, it was missing by yards. With all of the
technological advances that have been made, weapons are able to be infinitely more accurate.
A sniper has successfully hit a target that was over two miles away. That is an incredible
improvement in less than 200 years. Clothing is another aspect of equipment that has seen
changes. During the Civil War, their uniforms were blue and were made of cotton. Now,
uniforms are made to disguise the wearer. Therefore, they are either usually green or tan and in
a pattern that breaks up their image from a distance. These uniforms are also made of more
durable materials. The military also provides their troops with body armour to protect them.
Nothing of this sort was available during the Civil War. Also, as time wore on, the clothing of the
Civil War soldiers became extremely tattered. In the modern military, clothes last longer. But,
when they are worn out, it is much easier to replace them. When soldiers return to their base,
they can purchase a new uniform to replace their old one.
Another way in which war has changed is how injuries are handled. Injuries were very
common, but often remained untreated. On page 38, Stephen Crane describes a character
binding a wound on his shin and remaining in line to fight. The injured that were able to continue
fighting with their unit did so, receiving no more treatment that tying an article of clothing around
the wound. Another example was given on page 77. Henry, the main character, has a wound on
his head. He and his friend treat it by tying a hanky around his head. Because of these
untreated wounds, infections were very common during the Civil War. Soldiers that could no
longer fight, but could walk, would go to the rear of the line where they would be out of the way
and could possibly find help. As a result there was a constant stream of people going to the
rear. Many soldiers would walk miles searching for treatment, but would die before they could
find anything. Wounded soldiers who couldn’t walk remained on the battlefield without any help.
Even during lulls in the fighting, nothing was done to assist them. On page 96, a wounded
soldier is described as he lies on the ground, while receiving no help from his comrades. Those
soldiers that were able to find medical help often lost limbs. This was because most injuries
were treated by amputation. An example is given on page 28. A soldier had his hand tread on
and some of his fingers were crushed. When he finds a doctor, they suggest he get his fingers
amputated. Injuries are handled much differently now. First, there are units and soldiers trained
specifically to help the injured. They carry very little weaponry, instead carrying medical
supplies. As a result, most injured soldiers are taken out of harm’s way and treated. When they
arrive at a field hospital, doctors are able to treat them. With the advancements in medical
technology, amputations are much less common. Lastly, soldiers that acquire minor injuries can
be treated by medics out in the field. Therefore, minor injuries don’t escalate into large infections
nearly as often.
The next way war has changed since the 1860s is in strategy. The Civil War signaled an
end to the military strategy of columns and charges. Units in battle would remain in columns and
lines, fighting from these formations. This worked because guns were so inaccurate that many
shots missed the entire column altogether. Often, each side would make a long line across the
battlefield. Because of these long lines, at any point in time, there could be thousands of
soldiers on the battlefield. When a unit needed to gain ground, they would simply charge the
enemy and try to push them back in an attempt to break the enemy’s line. These tactics are
described on page 62 during the main character’s first battle. Also, as is described on page 32,
soldiers were given orders of when to begin shooting. Once this order was given, soldiers would
shoot at anything that moved, with little thought to aiming. This is very different to the military
strategy used currently be the United States military. Now, war is much more precise. No bullets
are wasted through unaimed shots. People now have individual jobs and are given much more
well-trained. As a result, they are given more power to act as they see fit. Soldiers no longer line
up beside one another, instead working in small combat groups.
The last way in which was has changed in the last 150 years is in organization. During
the Civil War, chaos reigned supreme on the battlefield. Often times, soldiers in the unit had
little clue about their objective. During the main character’s first battle, the soldiers in his unit felt
that they were wandering about the battlefield aimlessly. When soldiers arrived at a location,
they often didn’t know where they were or why they were there. Not only did they not know their
destination, but many of the soldiers didn’t even know the geography or layout of the battlefield.
To make things worse, on page 110, Stephen Crane informs the reader that soldiers on the
battlefield were unable to see where they are shooting because of the smoke and chaos. Often,
they are unable to determine if someone was friend or foe. Another way in which chaos reigned
supreme during Civil War battles was through rumors. Communication was via men on horses,
so it was very limited. As a result, rumors were very common. Most soldiers were unaware of
what else was taking place outside of their unit’s little area. Even once the fighting had ceased
for the day, chaos was still present. As is described on page 83, a regiment could lose over half
of their men in a single day. Not all of these were dead, wounded, or captured. Many were just
unaccounted for. Sometimes, soldiers would scatter and end up getting lost, and just wander
about the battlefield until they found another regiment to fight with. Many times, these lost
soldiers would trickle back to their regiment during the night. Another cause of missing soldiers
was widespread desertion. Because many soldiers had no experience or training, they often fled
out of sheer terror, against the will of their commanders. In contrast, today’s battlefield is very
organized. Everybody had a job, and everybody knows their job like the back of their hand. Most
soldiers are required to memorize the layout of the battlefield. That way they know what to plan
for and aren’t surprised by the enemy as easily. Now, with communication and uniforms so
advanced, soldiers know exactly who the enemy is and what they look like. The only
complication comes if the enemy is trying to look like civilians. Advanced communication has
also made rumors on the battlefield almost extinct. If need information, you can contact
someone instantaneously. Also, on the modern battlefield, everyone is always accounted for. If
someone goes missing, the others will immediately know who it is. Lastly, desertion is much
less common in the military now. Soldiers receive thorough training before being deployed.
Those that do still desert face criminal charges. When all of these factors are combined, it
makes the modern battlefield much more precise and organized.
In the 150 years since the Civil War, war has changed dramatically. Technology has
increased. Organization has increased. Many aspect are now almost unrecognizable. But, war
is war no matter when it occurs. Therefore, there are aspects, especially mental and emotional,
that are still very similar to the Civil War.