School of the Soldier-WARTIME--P. Fussell

One of the most attention worthy paragraphs I have read so far, was in the beginning of chapter 5. What was so striking to me was that many of the soldiers that served in World War II were so very young. Many of them were teenagers and sometimes sneaked in the service. Melville in his poem felt that in war we must rely on the young men for two reasons. First we need young soldiers for their strength and physical stamina and also for their innocence of their own mortality. When you're young you have little fear and you think you're unstoppable and will live forever.