How to tell a true war story

It is impossible to understand the true significance of war without living it first. We see the destruction and sometimes feel the loss, but we cannot even begin to understand the extent of its damage. No wars, with the exception of the Civil War, have been fought in the U.S. so even though U.S. has participating in every single major wars since WWI, American’s have not experienced war. They have not seen bombs destroy their home or soldiers take away their family members. What we think we know is simply a fantasy, a scary story we tell around a bonfire, a total lie. So how can we know what a “true” war story is? Tim O’Brien attempts to breach the gap between truth and fantasy in his story “How to tell a true war story”. He uses vivid descriptions of the death of Lemons and the baby water buffalo, but even though it has gore it is not grotesque, as if to remark on the beauty of death. How alive you feel when you stare death in the eyes. I believe this is what leads to the development of the trauma. Usually when we see something scary we cover our eyes or look away. With war, as O’Brien describes, your mind might be repulsed or terrified but can’t look away. He says, “You hate it, yes, but your eyes do not”. It would be difficult for a person to have to stare at their worst fear every time they close their eyes, as many PTSD soldiers do. Combined with the fear and nostalgia you feel when you are half across the world in the middle of a jungle. Can drive a person to repress the memory.