A Stunning Anti-War
Polemic
By Stephen LendmanNovember 13, 2015
"Information
Clearing House" -
Years
ago, I read author, screenwriter Dalton Trumbo’s 1939 classic
novel “Johnny
Got His Gun” - one of the most stunning ever
fictional indictments of war, impossible to read his chilling
account of its barbarity in human terms without being deeply
affected.
Joe Bonham is the
protagonist, a US WW I soldier, a war during which my father
served in France, thankfully coming home in one piece, mind and
body intact, no signs of what he may have seen or endured with
one exception. He shunned discussing the war. I and my brother
never pressed him.
Bonham awakens in a
hospital after an artillery blast shattered his body beyond
repair, physically and emotionally numb to what happened.
Gradually he realizes he
lost both arms and legs, his face, including both eyes, ears,
teeth and tongue. His mind alone functions normally. The horrors
of war destroyed him - Trumbo’s polemic a heart-wrenching
testimonial indictment of all wars, the highest of high crimes.
So-called good ones don’t
exist, not now, not ever, WW II worst of all, a nuclear one if
waged will be the ultimate war crime, risking humanity’s
destruction.
Bohnam initially can’t
bear living in a shattered torso, nothing else remaining of his
former self. He reconsiders, wants to be placed in a glass
enclosed container and taken on tour nationwide - to show as
many people as possible the true horrors of war.
Without any normal way to
communicate, he does it by tapping Morse code statements on his
pillow, using his shattered head.
He realizes his wish won’t
be granted. His only option is enduring whatever time he has
left in his shattered condition, unless able to end it by
suffocation or other means.
He can’t walk, talk or do
anything normally. He’s a living corpse, drifting between
reality and fantasy, remembering pre-war times past, his normal
life with family and girl friend.
Trumbo’s title is taken
from the George M. Cohan song “Over There,” written during
America’s involvement in WW I (1917 - 1918). The lyrics begin
“Johnny, get your gun, get your gun, get your gun. Take if on
the run, on the run, on the run.”
The memorable chorus
continues, saying “Over there, over there, send the word, send
the word over there that the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are
coming, the drums rum-tumming everywhere…”
“Send the word, send the
word to beware. We’ll be over, we’re coming over, and we won’t
be back till it’s over, over there.”
Al Jolson and Enrico
Caruso-sung versions were recorded. Nothing glorious about “over
there” exists, not in WW I or any wars.
Trumbo deplored them.
Pacifists in America are generally shunned publicly. His novel
was well received, winning a 1940 American Booksellers Award,
published days before WW II began, over two years before
America’s direct involvement.
A 1940 NBC radio
adaptation starred James Cagney as Bohnam. In 1971, Trumbo
directed the film version of his novel, Timothy Bottoms in the
lead role. A 1982 stage play followed, first off-Broadway, then
worldwide.
Revived film and stage
versions are vitally needed now - pulling no punches, revealing
the horrors of war the way Trumbo explained them in his lead
character.
It bears repeating. No
wars are good ones. All are fought for wealth, power, conquest
and dominance. No one endures their horrors without being
scarred for life in some ways, lucky ones returning with their
bodies and minds intact, managing to get on with their lives as
normally as possible.
Too many others are
physically and/or emotionally affected forever, traumatized or
disfigured, their lives never the same.
To the victors go the
spoils. For soldiers at all levels in battles, few are spared
the horrors of war in some ways.
No one forgets the
nightmarish experience - why humanity desperately needs a way to
end wars or they’ll end us. With today’s super weapons, there’s
no in between.
Stephen Lendman lives
in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. -
His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in
Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." -http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
- Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com . Listen to
cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the
Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
