First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is changed by the death of one of the soldiers under his command, Ted Lavender. A change is also experienced by the other soldiers in the once seventeen-man platoon, but none as telling as Cross’. He transforms both as an individual and a commander. His once treasured fantasies involving Martha are no longer dear, he becomes a realist. Cross also becomes a stricter commander, a “stickler” for order.
Lavender’s death causes Cross, like his other soldiers, to realize the harsh truth of the war. Previously these men partake in whatever duty they have to perform with a sense of detachment. They have no drive or passion. They have no sense of why they are even in this war; this is not their war to fight. Regardless, soldiers are trained to battle, and that is what they do. Kiawa’s thoughts reveal that “the emotion wasn’t there and he couldn’t make it happen.” To them it is just an “endless march, village to village, without purpose, nothing won or lost.” Dea
I think the document supports the views of the textbook. Both show the war to be largely pointless, at least in the end. The Vietnam War begins because of the fear of the communist “domino effect”. China and the Soviet Union are communist, and now Vietnam wants to be communist. They wonder when it will end. Although good intentions existed at the beginning, the war is continued because of American pride. American citizens do not want the war and neither do the soldiers. Despite this government officials refuse peace. It is beyond them that a country the size of Texas could defeat the mighty superpower, the United States in battle. I believe that the government underestimated the resolve of the Viet Cong and Northern Vietnamese. They believed it would be easy to simply overrun them with sheer force. We now see that is incorrect.
Cross’s feelings for his beloved Martha also change. He recognizes the fact that he is holding on to a love that will not blossom. Martha does not really love him. It ha
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