Doing Battle, by Paul Fussell, Little, Brown and Company, New York, 1996, $24.95.
This book recounts in heart-wrenching detail the combat experiences of a 20-year-old infantry lieutenant as he leads his men across France in late 1944 and early 1945. This intimate experience on the edge of life and death changed the boy into a man who became a lifelong critic of American society and institutions, especially the U.S. government and specifically the U.S Army. The effect of participation in combat on the rest of one’s life is often negative and can be destructive, but in some cases such as the story told in Doing Battle, it is positive.
Two elements of this book are of interest to readers of war history. One is the first-hand account of life as an infantry officer in World War II, told with such a power and authenticity that it is hard to believe the events described happened 50 years ago. Also captivating is the author’s recounting of how he dealt with the psychological aftermath of being a killing machine. Fussell suffered terribly over the years from what would today be described as post-traumatic stress disorder, wondering why he survived when so many around him did not.
It is fascinating to read about this man’s journey through the fire, how it changed him forever, and then how he not only survived on the other side but triumphed. This book serves as a memorial to his fallen comrades and an inspiration to those who survived with him.
John I. Witmer
