Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the course and the perennial relevance of the topic, I love teaching The Great War and the 1920s. The era's visual art, poetry, memoir, politics, music and technology mix together in an exciting, devastating swirl. Even though the last of the WWI veterans are dying off, today's world is very much a product of that era.
One of the many great films made during or about The Great War (1914-1918), a very anti-English and anti-war story, is Peter Weir's Gallipoli (1981). Starring Mark Lee and a young Mel Gibson as Australian volunteers sent to fight "Johnny Turk" on the Gallipoli Penninsula (in a failed effort to break through to Istanbul), Weir (with co-writer David Williamson) takes a buddy movie and elevates it to a level that is not atypical in war films.
The thing is, no matter how strong the anti-war statement, the folly of war and mass violence persists. Such is human nature, apparently. Still, Gallipoli inspires the viewer to stand once again aghast at the human squander of it all, if just for a moment.
The best song about the Australian experience at Gallipoli is The Pogues' rendition of "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda." It has the exact emotional resonance of how many Americans feel about the Vietnam War. In the grand scheme of things, Iraq will not be far behind.
Today's Rune: Wholeness.
Birthdays: Susan Sontag, Colette.
Güle güle gidin!
4 comments:
Archy Hamilton (Lee): What are you going to join, the Infantry?
Frank Dunne (Mel Gibson): Not joining anything.
Archy Hamilton: But you gotta be in it.
Frank Dunne: Don't have to if you don't want to.
Archy Hamilton: You gotta be.
Frank Dunne: No I don't. It's a free country, or haven't you heard.
When you get to studying history, it's amazing how similar the process of creating an enemy is, no matter what the war, who the enemy.
Here in Chicago, during World War I, all things German became bad, despite the fact that over a third of our population were first and second generation Germans. Street names were changed, product names were changed. During World War II, Japp's potato chips became Jay's potato chips.
One has to whip up hatred well in order to get men to fight other men who are their working class brothers.
Have you ever read any Walter Karp? One of the really important books in my life was his book "The Politics of War." It was about how the Spanish-American War and World War I irrevocably changed American politics. Dissenting against the war became a criminal offense. Later, there were the Palmer raids, which broke the back of left politics in the United States.
Hey Erik! So, it's a free country? I wonder. We are free to move within boundaries and free to think within the box. Our feelings are the only true freedom we have and can hold. But, then those feelings can turn against us, leaving us with anger and hatred . . . and sometimes leading us to forget what evoked them all in the first place. . . until someone reminds us. Usually that someone has an agenda and we get sucked right in and follow along. We have this need to put things in their places - not everything has a place or a home. Some things just ARE.
I agree, Johnny, with the "creating an enemy" process. Enemies are created not born. It's all a form of advertising, like anything else.
WHOLENESS . . . enjoy the day!
Thanks, Johnny and Pythia -- "it's amazing how similar the process of creating an enemy is, no matter what the war, who the enemy" and "It's all a form of advertising, like anything else." Right on ;)
Johnny, haven't read Walter Karp but his name sounds vaguely -- German. . . . .
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