Truth Of War
Project Overview
The Truth of War Project was an eye opening project for me. Through this project we read the books All Quiet On The Western Front, and Slaughterhouse 5. After reading the books I realized that soldiers do not see the other country necessarily as their enemy. In the end, during war, soldiers are all for the same morals. They are there to fight for their country. In All Quiet On The Western Front the main character kills someone for what he thought was his enemy. After he had time to reflect on what he had done, he came to a harsh realization when he noticed he killed a soldier their for the same reasons. This man was not his enemy. He stared at the character with a shocked and scared look on his face. Paul, the main character, realizes that this man also has a family. This man should not have been killed by him. He did not have any hatred towards this man. In fact he regretted the fact he even killed him. Through all these tragedies, many soldiers go through so much emotional distress that it is almost impossible to go back to their normal lives and fit in with society. After what soldiers have been through they have so many memories and emotions that will remain in their minds forever. Soldiers are no longer that close with their family because they don't understand the misery and constant stress they have been through for years at a time.
Through Sufferings And Tragedy
My name is Mr. Harry A. Jacobs, and I was born in Manheim, Germany in 1924. Throughout Hitler’s rise in power, my family remained in Germany. This brought many hardships to my Jewish family. I was forced to leave the public school I was attending and go to an all-Jewish school. I learned to accept it, for this is all I knew. My family owned and operated a store, but because of our Jewish heritage we suffered. Due to our Jewish background, our store was severely restricted and boycotted, and our economic status suffered. I tried to help my family by making deliveries for my father on my bicycle when he was busy. Because I was helping out my family, I missed out on opportunities to play around with my friends. Many of my Jewish friends and neighbors seemed to disappear over time. They were victims of the Holocaust. Jews were perceived as “radical inferiority.” Not only were Jews sent to concentration camps, but also the disabled ones, and any type of person that was not physically Hitler’s visualization of a “perfect person” were to be felt unfit for life and were executed. With death looming and no hope for any future, my parents began to search for alternatives to help save our family. Fortunately, my mother had a cousin living in Alabama in the U.S and she was willing to sponsor our immigration.
We packed our things and set out to leave Germany for good. I was very sad, but realized that there was no hope for our family if we were to stay in Germany. We traveled on a Dutch ship named New Amsterdam, which eventually landed in New York. It was a difficult journey. The ship was crowded, and many people got sick and died during the trip. We were fortunate to make it to the US alive and well. I was 17 year old at the time when we moved to New York City. There were so many people from many different countries arriving everyday. I enrolled in Eastern High School. It was a large high school with many immigrants from all over Europe. Despite the ethnic diversity, the students were accepting of US immigrants and most importantly, I felt safe again.
In order to help with my family’s financial situation I took a job working for The Times Herald. My job and duties entitled working as a runner for what they called the detail room. This room was next to the print room where the paper printed advertisements. Although going to school and working at the same time was difficult, I felt fortunate to be in the US with a new lease on life.
The World War II continued to rage in Europe and across the Pacific in Eastern Asia, across the Axis powers of Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan. Although here in our new country, the US, we did not feel the direct effects of the war, there was a sense of awareness present in the air. WWII occurred from 1939-1945. More than 50 million people died, and hundreds of millions were wounded both physically and mentally. This war was fought on land and sea, and a major struggle of the twentieth century.
It was December 7th, 1941. I was working downtown in NY reading the paper. I came across a vivid article from a perspective survivor and witness of Pearl Harbor. I read, “All of a sudden I was frightened by the sound of a bullet next door. I ran outside to grasp what was happening. The Japanese attacked in waves of planes. I counted as each one rushed over my head, and if I was counting correctly, there were 83 planes that took off. Many U.S ships were hit, causing many injuries. Soldiers fell left and right, buildings were hit by gunfire and ships suffered fatal gashes. The attack on the harbor surprised the Americans. They were very successful as to having an open unexpected attack.” This got me thinking deeply and made me fortunate I was nowhere near the conflict going on in Pearl Harbor. However, I had thought about someday joining the army in the future because it was always an interest of mine.
I was too young to enlist in the army at the time of these attacks, so after high school I attended Georgetown University. I joined the army a year later after attending the University. Enlisting in the army didn’t scare me. I didn’t think that I would ever go to war or see real combat. I started off completing basic training, and attending multiple military intelligence schools. I became attached to the Fourth Armored Division. I completed two years of service under this division. I worked in the army from 1943-1945. I was eventually sent to processing in Virginia where I ended up in the medical corp. Then I went to basic training in Illinois. It was extremely hot there, easily in the hundreds. I stayed in a tent with three to four people. They were good boys, and I enjoyed them a lot. Within two weeks before I finished basic training, I was selected to go to the Military Intelligence Training in Maryland. I didn’t want to attend this because I wanted to finish my basic training and see where that would take me. I begged my platoon leader to get me out of this, however they couldn’t do anything about it, and I was required to go. I got travel orders to travel by train to Maryland. When I graduated there were teams set up to combat divisions or trainings in which I was not selected. Instead I took training with rifles. I went through a firing course, which taught me that I was not mechanically inclined. By the end of the training course I had so much practice I could have taken the rifle apart and put it back together with my eyes closed.
My team traveled to London, a ten-hour trip, and was sent to a British order of battle school. During this two week course we stayed in bombed out buildings where the civilians had been evacuated. After we had completed the course, we got orders to be attached to the Forth Armored Divisions. We had some additional training with our weapons and then we went to the beach after it was well secured. The beaches were littered with old equipment. One day a French farmer came up to me and stared speaking to me in French. He led me to his barn that was full of German soldier’s bodies stacked like wood. The man was wondering what to do with them, however, I had no idea how I would help him. This barn was shocking, there must have been at least up to forty bodies in this barn, and he was still collecting more.
The next day US and British planes peered over us in drones fairly close to us. They were extremely loud; you could not even hear yourself talk. The U.S heavily bombed the Germans for several hours. Once we left the area we traveled through Britain and many other places and found ourselves in a place called Nancy. I traveled on to the village where I was to stay with a farmer who finally supplied me with some decent food. The food was all farm food. We ate mainly rabbits, and potatoes. The farm diet made me sick for the first two nights. I was up frequently in the night digging myself a hole and squatting outside because they didn’t have a restroom. Finally, I got used to the food. This was a hard life to manage.
All of the sudden our driver came in and told me I was moving right away. We traveled through Verdanne, which had just been captured. By the time the Battle of the Bulge started it was so miserably cold and nasty we had to put up the windshield. We got through Rhineland over a bridge, and when we arrived in the middle of the Autobon there were thousands of German prisoners that were being herded and guided into the rear of someplace. The look on the men’s faces was complete terror, as tears rolled down their cheeks. U.S soldiers were gathered around a fire trying to stay warm in below zero degrees Fahrenheit. You could see soldiers carrying out frozen dead bodies across a field of snow. This reasoning for this winter season battle was because Hitler was attempting to split the Allied groups in two, to drive them towards Germany and destroy their ability to supply themselves. This was by far the biggest and bloodiest battle in this huge World War.
The War was almost over. We have established a line of demarcation between our forces and the Russian forces. Germans led their army to believe that victory was imminent. Posters, radio, and propaganda supported false statements in order to motivate their soldiers to continue to fight. However, truly, the Germans were severally suffering and losing men consistently. Though they used incorrect messages, they didn’t want people to abandon them. They wanted the Germans to fight until death, even if they were losing the war.
In the 1930s the world was in the midst of a great depression. The financial devastation impacted the United States, and plunged several countries worldwide into a post-war economic and political crisis. Many countries focused on their own needs and concerns and ignored the events or problems outside of their country. Hitler gained free power and influenced others. Hitler had support from the German people because he brainwashed them to be obedient and praise him and his ideas. He quickly conquered Western Europe, and then invaded Russia in June 22, 1941. The extent of the Nazi atrocities in Western Europe was seen for the first time with concentration camps. Hitler committed suicide in April 1945. The German High Command surrendered to the Allies in May 1945. Throughout the war each soldier experienced hardship and struggle to their comrades. Finally the largest conflict the world had ever known finally came to an end. World War II was the largest, most destructive, and widespread conflict in history. It was the bloodiest battle ever fought.
In December of 1945 I decided to return and complete my bachelors degree at Georgetown. After I accomplished this I got a masters degree at the American University. 10 years after I got married in 1954. I worked successively in many public administration jobs including many years at the Pentagon, and later in Public Health. This war created lots of memories I will never forget. I was one of the few lucky ones that was fortunate enough escape the death trap within the holocaust and travel to safety. This war required misery among many of my friends and changed the life style of people around the world.
Facts:
1. Mr. Harry A. Jacobs is a real person
2. He was born in German
3. He was Jewish
4. He did move to the US
5. He worked in the Times Herald
6. He went to Western High
7. Traveled to US on ship called “New Amsterdam”
8. Was 17 when he moved to NY
9. WWII occurred from 1939-1945
10. More than 50 million people died, and hundreds of millions were wounded both physically and mentally.
11. This war was fought on land and sea, and a major struggle of the twentieth century.
12. I attended Georgetown University. I joined the army a year later after attending the University.
13. I worked in the army from 1943-1945.
14. The U.S heavily bombed the Germans for several hours.
15. In the 1930s the world was in the midst of a great depression
Bibliography
"World War 1 & 2 Facts." World War 1 & 2 Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://www.unsolvedmysteries.com/usm525206.html?t=History>.
"World War II: The Battle for Europe : A Soldier's Perspective from Harry A. Jacobs." :: American Century Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://collections.mdch.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/saac/id/13875/rec/19>.
We packed our things and set out to leave Germany for good. I was very sad, but realized that there was no hope for our family if we were to stay in Germany. We traveled on a Dutch ship named New Amsterdam, which eventually landed in New York. It was a difficult journey. The ship was crowded, and many people got sick and died during the trip. We were fortunate to make it to the US alive and well. I was 17 year old at the time when we moved to New York City. There were so many people from many different countries arriving everyday. I enrolled in Eastern High School. It was a large high school with many immigrants from all over Europe. Despite the ethnic diversity, the students were accepting of US immigrants and most importantly, I felt safe again.
In order to help with my family’s financial situation I took a job working for The Times Herald. My job and duties entitled working as a runner for what they called the detail room. This room was next to the print room where the paper printed advertisements. Although going to school and working at the same time was difficult, I felt fortunate to be in the US with a new lease on life.
The World War II continued to rage in Europe and across the Pacific in Eastern Asia, across the Axis powers of Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan. Although here in our new country, the US, we did not feel the direct effects of the war, there was a sense of awareness present in the air. WWII occurred from 1939-1945. More than 50 million people died, and hundreds of millions were wounded both physically and mentally. This war was fought on land and sea, and a major struggle of the twentieth century.
It was December 7th, 1941. I was working downtown in NY reading the paper. I came across a vivid article from a perspective survivor and witness of Pearl Harbor. I read, “All of a sudden I was frightened by the sound of a bullet next door. I ran outside to grasp what was happening. The Japanese attacked in waves of planes. I counted as each one rushed over my head, and if I was counting correctly, there were 83 planes that took off. Many U.S ships were hit, causing many injuries. Soldiers fell left and right, buildings were hit by gunfire and ships suffered fatal gashes. The attack on the harbor surprised the Americans. They were very successful as to having an open unexpected attack.” This got me thinking deeply and made me fortunate I was nowhere near the conflict going on in Pearl Harbor. However, I had thought about someday joining the army in the future because it was always an interest of mine.
I was too young to enlist in the army at the time of these attacks, so after high school I attended Georgetown University. I joined the army a year later after attending the University. Enlisting in the army didn’t scare me. I didn’t think that I would ever go to war or see real combat. I started off completing basic training, and attending multiple military intelligence schools. I became attached to the Fourth Armored Division. I completed two years of service under this division. I worked in the army from 1943-1945. I was eventually sent to processing in Virginia where I ended up in the medical corp. Then I went to basic training in Illinois. It was extremely hot there, easily in the hundreds. I stayed in a tent with three to four people. They were good boys, and I enjoyed them a lot. Within two weeks before I finished basic training, I was selected to go to the Military Intelligence Training in Maryland. I didn’t want to attend this because I wanted to finish my basic training and see where that would take me. I begged my platoon leader to get me out of this, however they couldn’t do anything about it, and I was required to go. I got travel orders to travel by train to Maryland. When I graduated there were teams set up to combat divisions or trainings in which I was not selected. Instead I took training with rifles. I went through a firing course, which taught me that I was not mechanically inclined. By the end of the training course I had so much practice I could have taken the rifle apart and put it back together with my eyes closed.
My team traveled to London, a ten-hour trip, and was sent to a British order of battle school. During this two week course we stayed in bombed out buildings where the civilians had been evacuated. After we had completed the course, we got orders to be attached to the Forth Armored Divisions. We had some additional training with our weapons and then we went to the beach after it was well secured. The beaches were littered with old equipment. One day a French farmer came up to me and stared speaking to me in French. He led me to his barn that was full of German soldier’s bodies stacked like wood. The man was wondering what to do with them, however, I had no idea how I would help him. This barn was shocking, there must have been at least up to forty bodies in this barn, and he was still collecting more.
The next day US and British planes peered over us in drones fairly close to us. They were extremely loud; you could not even hear yourself talk. The U.S heavily bombed the Germans for several hours. Once we left the area we traveled through Britain and many other places and found ourselves in a place called Nancy. I traveled on to the village where I was to stay with a farmer who finally supplied me with some decent food. The food was all farm food. We ate mainly rabbits, and potatoes. The farm diet made me sick for the first two nights. I was up frequently in the night digging myself a hole and squatting outside because they didn’t have a restroom. Finally, I got used to the food. This was a hard life to manage.
All of the sudden our driver came in and told me I was moving right away. We traveled through Verdanne, which had just been captured. By the time the Battle of the Bulge started it was so miserably cold and nasty we had to put up the windshield. We got through Rhineland over a bridge, and when we arrived in the middle of the Autobon there were thousands of German prisoners that were being herded and guided into the rear of someplace. The look on the men’s faces was complete terror, as tears rolled down their cheeks. U.S soldiers were gathered around a fire trying to stay warm in below zero degrees Fahrenheit. You could see soldiers carrying out frozen dead bodies across a field of snow. This reasoning for this winter season battle was because Hitler was attempting to split the Allied groups in two, to drive them towards Germany and destroy their ability to supply themselves. This was by far the biggest and bloodiest battle in this huge World War.
The War was almost over. We have established a line of demarcation between our forces and the Russian forces. Germans led their army to believe that victory was imminent. Posters, radio, and propaganda supported false statements in order to motivate their soldiers to continue to fight. However, truly, the Germans were severally suffering and losing men consistently. Though they used incorrect messages, they didn’t want people to abandon them. They wanted the Germans to fight until death, even if they were losing the war.
In the 1930s the world was in the midst of a great depression. The financial devastation impacted the United States, and plunged several countries worldwide into a post-war economic and political crisis. Many countries focused on their own needs and concerns and ignored the events or problems outside of their country. Hitler gained free power and influenced others. Hitler had support from the German people because he brainwashed them to be obedient and praise him and his ideas. He quickly conquered Western Europe, and then invaded Russia in June 22, 1941. The extent of the Nazi atrocities in Western Europe was seen for the first time with concentration camps. Hitler committed suicide in April 1945. The German High Command surrendered to the Allies in May 1945. Throughout the war each soldier experienced hardship and struggle to their comrades. Finally the largest conflict the world had ever known finally came to an end. World War II was the largest, most destructive, and widespread conflict in history. It was the bloodiest battle ever fought.
In December of 1945 I decided to return and complete my bachelors degree at Georgetown. After I accomplished this I got a masters degree at the American University. 10 years after I got married in 1954. I worked successively in many public administration jobs including many years at the Pentagon, and later in Public Health. This war created lots of memories I will never forget. I was one of the few lucky ones that was fortunate enough escape the death trap within the holocaust and travel to safety. This war required misery among many of my friends and changed the life style of people around the world.
Facts:
1. Mr. Harry A. Jacobs is a real person
2. He was born in German
3. He was Jewish
4. He did move to the US
5. He worked in the Times Herald
6. He went to Western High
7. Traveled to US on ship called “New Amsterdam”
8. Was 17 when he moved to NY
9. WWII occurred from 1939-1945
10. More than 50 million people died, and hundreds of millions were wounded both physically and mentally.
11. This war was fought on land and sea, and a major struggle of the twentieth century.
12. I attended Georgetown University. I joined the army a year later after attending the University.
13. I worked in the army from 1943-1945.
14. The U.S heavily bombed the Germans for several hours.
15. In the 1930s the world was in the midst of a great depression
Bibliography
"World War 1 & 2 Facts." World War 1 & 2 Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://www.unsolvedmysteries.com/usm525206.html?t=History>.
"World War II: The Battle for Europe : A Soldier's Perspective from Harry A. Jacobs." :: American Century Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://collections.mdch.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/saac/id/13875/rec/19>.