Book Thoughts: The Ghost Mountain Boys

It is apparent that James Campbell did a great job of researching information in the writing of his book, The Ghost Mountain Boys. This writing adventure covers the story of the taking of New Guinea during World War II and in particular follows the 32nd Battalion from the Wisconsin  and West Michigan area. It had an interest to me since I have lived in West Michigan for 20 some years. What these soldiers endured was horrific and Campbell uses diaries and interviews as resource materials. There were some very brave soldiers that spent most of their time in New Guinea sick and/or injured, yet continued to fight. Malaria, Jungle Rot, ingenue fever, dysentery, fleas, poor equipment (or no equipment), heat, rain, and starvation were some of the trials they faced. If you were a fan of General Douglas MacArthur prior to reading The Ghost Mountain Boys, you might have to adjust your impressions. MacArthur pretended to the rest of the world that he was right there leading the troops into battle, when in actuality he was miles away in a protected compound and had no real idea about the battles that were fought. He did not know, or care, that, in the jungle environment, there would be days that the troops only made a couple hundred yards of headway and that planning an attack could be impacted by the inability of the soldiers to make it to the battle area. He seemed to be convinced that the reason New Guinea was taking to long to overtake was that the troops were poor and uncommitted, when in actuality they were sick and starving with little or no outside support.
I came away from this book with a new appreciation of the sacrifices our troops made for us. There is so much that we don't know, I'm sure that the casualties go way beyond the end of the war in the impact on the soldier's lives and also on the lives of their families. No one who fought in New Guinea remained unchanged by the experience. I also came away with  negative feelings toward MacArthur. This guy seemed to like the spotlight so much that he did not consider anyone else. At least, when MacArthur left New Guinea to take back the Philippines, his commanders used the lessons learned on New Guinea and because of that, many soldier's lives were saved. It is so sad that a good share of those who fought in New Guinea also died there and things could have been so different.

What Does History Teach Us?

History: What Have We Learned?


Do we ever really learn from history? Reading a history book, I am reminded that the current economic conditions are echoes from the past and that those past echoes include civil unrest. Revolutions have repeatedly been fought by those who, at the time, had nothing to lose but their life, and that life may have been numbered by days. No homes, no food, no job, no hope, a recipe for the desperate to grab at any thin thread of survival. Those who have not, in their frustration, attack those who have. Monarchies have tumbled, Shahs overthrown, and Presidents replaced. What, if things don't turn around in the near future, does America face? Will we have a nation broken into countries to replacethe individual states? As a country, we have arrogantly attempted to manipulate other country's economies and governments. At what point does representative government appear to the citizens as the privileged oppressing the underprivileged under the guise of speaking for the underprivileged? How long do you think it will be before the desperate go that further step?

How do you think those two hundred years into the future will interpret our history? In an attempt to see what they may see, think about this: The Twentieth Century was characterized
by short periods not employed in some type of war. The Great Depression was eclipsed by economic distress in the early part of the Twenty-First Century. Although a time of great discoveries and scientific advances, the Twentieth Century was also marked by some of the greatest scandals and most notorious crimes/criminals. While a seeming age of prosperity, where even some of the lower classes owned their own homes, not all was rosy around the world. Ethiopia, for example, had devastating famine and scores of people in refugee camps due to government uncertainties and infighting.

There comes a point in which the suffering don't much care how or who fixes the problem, but that it appears fixed. They are looking for some sort of Messiah that can promise relief. The long term at this point is not a consideration. They wish to eat today. This sets up a dangerous vacuum in which a ruthless leader, similar to Hitler or Lenin, have opportunity to step into the forefront. Politics are disregarded in favor of economics. Once the economics start turning around, discovering the mistake of leader choice can be faced. Too late, but now how to deal with a despot? Or do we?

The answer? If it was that easy, there would not be a problem, would there?