Canadian Military History

Volume 3 Issue 2 Article 25

1994

Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character by [Review]

James C. Lawless Directorate of Professional Development & Language Training, Department of National Defence

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Recommended Citation Lawless, James C. " in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character by Jonathan Shay [Review]." Canadian Military History 3, 2 (1994)

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compulsory service has since been In addition to tactics, Morton area. Readers familiar with condemned as a needless and explores some of the bleaker Morton's many studies of the CEF oppressive, such charges are realities facing Canadian soldiers. and Bill Rawling's recent book on largely the product of hindsight. Perhaps the most graphic section tactics will find that When Your Indeed, had the war continued of the book addresses the nature Number's Up contains few new until 1920, as the Allies of wounds and diseases at the revelations regarding the anticipated, the necessity of front. Relying on the accounts of Canadian experience in the war. conscription would have been soldiers, surgeons and nurses, Nonetheless, the book provides quite evident. Morton follows complemented by several rather intriguing glimpses of many the soldiers of the CEF in their chilling photographs, Morton aspects of the struggle through preparations for war, arguing relates clearly the grisly assortment the eyes of Canadians who that much of their training in the of fates that befell many men. participated, at the same time first years of the conflict was of Prisoners of war suffered under helping to dispel the misleading limited value. He recounts the dreadful conditions as well. While in image of the First World War as a experience of one Canadian theory they were protected by the static and meaningless conflict. corporal on manouveures in dictates of the Geneva Convention, Nick Gardner England, who, after ordering his the author demonstrates that University of Calgary section to crawl forward to captured Canadian soldiers were capture a machine-gun post, was often mistreated and malnourished informed by a reproachful staff by their captors. * * * * * officer that "No British soldier Morton concludes his study on crawls into battle on his belly!" a bitter note, with a discussion of [p.90] Both in Canada and the reintegration of the members Achilles in Vietnam England, the training regimen of the CEF into Canadian society Combat Trauma and the proved woefully inadequate for the at the end of the war. The author Undoing of Character grim conditions that the soldiers is critical of the response to the would encounter at the front. needs of veterans, noting that Jonathan Shay, MD, Ph.D. Achilles While insufficient training while programs were devised for in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and coupled with inexperience often the rehabilitation of many soldiers, the Undoing of Character. (New led to disastrous losses early in such plans soon fell by the York: Atheneum, 1994) 236 the war, Morton argues that as wayside as Canadians found more pages, $20.00 US the conflict progressed, the CEF was pressing problems. With the able to develop effective tactics. depression of 1921, funds for onathan Shay has written Mter the devastating experience of disabled veterans' jobs all but J a remarkable book. This book the Somme, a battle characterized disappeared. As Morton notes is at once erudite, eloquent and by Canadian soldier Frank caustically: "Employing them had outspoken. Even though Canada Maheux as "worse than hell," the tumed out to be more patriotic was not involved in the prosecution author contends that a tactical than profitable." [p.271] of the Vietnam War, it is a book "revolution" took place as the I:q addition to providing a vivid which should be read by every Canadian Corps regrouped in portrayal of the experiences of the officer or non-commissioned front of Vimy Ridge. With the soldiers who comprised the CEF, officer who commands, will refocussing of tactics at the Desmond Morton has captured command, or intends to platoon level, Morton suggests the changing nature of the war in command, troops in battle. For that "Canadian infantry would be which they fought. Throughout them, this is a very important organized and trained to fight their the book, the author emphasizes type to which they are not own battles and not be patriotic the evolution in the conditions normally exposed by their training. automata." [p.164] As the war faced by soldiers at the front, in This is also a text that will have progressed, Canadian success the tactics they employed in great value to officers and NCOs increased as the infantry improved battle, and in the nature of the who are expected to be employed upon its new tactics of fire and Canadian society from which they in peacekeeping duty, a duty for movement. At the same time, the emerged. It should be noted that which Canada is justly famous artillery "mastered a practical the study relies heavily on the worldwide. This observation is science," with devastating effects. author's previous work in this made not because of Dr. Shay's

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military acumen, which has grown cripple the soldier who finds and he has a talent to grip and great through his patients, but himself embroiled in it as easily hold the reader from the simply because the book points and as permanently as a round beginning of his text until the very out and underlines the evil and from a rocket-propelled grenade end. Liberally interspersed with horror which men are capable of launcher. anonymous but appropriate inflicting on each other. This is Dr. Shay's great contribution, quotations from his tape recordings apparent in Yugoslavia, Somalia however, is his emphasis on, and of treatment sessions with his and Rwanda today. description of, the failure of patients, and incorporating wisely Dr. Shay is a practising leadership and the development chosen and appropriate solutions psychiatrist who, as a member of the of the "berserk" state. Both of these from The in illustration of his Veteran's Improvement Program in facets seem to be particularly points, this book is less of a text Cambridge, Massachusetts, treats endemic in the Vietnam war, and and more a work of literature that American combat veterans of the both are confirmed by the cannot help but be of benefit to Vietnam War who are afflicted statement and/ or actions of his all those who take the time and with severe chronic post-traumatic patients over and over again. The trouble to read it. It is one which stress disorder (PTSD). He points nature of the combat in which reminds me very much of Guy out in the introduction to the book these men found themselves Sajer's The Forgotten Soldier about how, several years ago, he was engaged has, of course, occurred the Russian front in World War II, struck by the similarity of the war in war before; one immediately and it certainly can proudly stand experience of Vietnam combat thinks of the siege and horror of alongside John Keegan's The Face veterans to 's account of Verdun, of Stalingrad, of the of Battle. Achilles in The Iliad, although The battles of Kursk and Kohima. All Iliad was written about 2, 700 of these had their particular James C. Lawless years ago. Written with the horrors, as did Vietnam. Curriculum Developer encouragement of Professor Dr. Shay makes many pen­ Directorate of Professional Gregory Nagy of Harvard etrating observations with regard Development & Language University, a leading scholar of to the leadership of the Vietnam Training, National classical Greek literature, this is soldier, and perhaps the most Defence Headquarters a very important and timely book. important of these in relation to Ottawa, Canada No one should shy away from the failure of command is the lack reading this book for fear that of time to moum. He points out it is a psychiatric textbook, too that, after the death of a close * * * * * complex to be understood. Though friend in action that "thwarted, providing insights into the uncommunalized grief is a major human character and its workings reason why there are so many Painting the Map Red not easily found elsewhere, it is severe, long-term psychological Canada and the South also an extremely well-written, injuries from the Vietnam war," Mrican War, 1899-1902 clear, concise and accurate and he ably demonstrates this description of the trauma created with the observance of their Carman Miller. Painting the Map in formerly rational human respect for their own and enemy Red: Canada and the South beings, through their continual dead. He also contrasts the lack African War, 1899-1902. involvement in deadly combat. In of contempt for the enemy (MeGill-Queen's University Press, a sense, by juxtaposing the displayed in The Iliad with the 1993) 540 pages, $44.95. experiences of his patients with active contempt, rooted in those of Achilles in The Iliad, Dr. racism, that occurred among Shay has demonstrated that American soldiers in Vietnam. ere it is, at last; the definitive "there is nothing really new under It is difficult to review a book H book about Canada's role in the sun." What is new, however, from the galley-proofs; however, if the Boer War. Such a long delay is the intensity, magnitude and the published editor is cognizant is almost inexplicable, consider­ seeming interminability of the of the corrections made and ing what a tremendous social, conflict as well as the severity and revises accordingly, the technical military and political effect that longevity of the subsequent quality of this text will be high. far-off African conflict had on psychological illness which can Dr. Shay's writing style is superb, Canada. However, as Carman

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