When men were drafted for World War II, they were young and innocent, and many were eager to fight and protect our country. However, these same men did not return back home. Although a number of men appeared to have made it out alive and well, they had invisible scars that could not be ignored.
World War II differed from all previous wars in one main aspect: method of warfare. Nuclear power and missiles were used, as well as modern concepts of covert and special operations. Submarines and tanks were also more heavily used than in the First World War. To put it plainly, this conflict was more tumultuous, or "messy", than ever before. Fighting was sporadic and loud. With this change in nature came a harsh change in the war's psychological effects.
During World War I, they called it shell shock. Men would come back from war shaky and skittish, and sometimes angry and aggressive. A great deal of soldiers had it, but no one really knew why. Many people said that these men were simply weak. However, this attitude reversed during the Second World War. Because of the changes in war methods, many soldiers were experiencing this psychological distress and it was finally addressed.
Professionals realized that no man, no matter how strong, was safe from this Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Although they could not completely prevent it, they made more efforts to relieve it's intensity. There weren't specialists trained in the field of PTSD, so many regular medical professionals had to step up to the plate to familiarize themselves with the disorder. Finally, soldiers with invisible scars were not being ignored.
No comments:
Post a Comment