War Stories

[Funt Solo]

I was reading The Unwomanly Face of War (by Svetlana Alexievich), which is about the experiences of Russian women serving either in the armed forces or as partisans or in the equivalent of MASH units during WWII. It’s often difficult, bleak stuff, as perhaps you may imagine.

Some of the anecdotes made me think they’d be good in a Garth Ennis war comic. Then I read one bit that *was* in one of his comics and that I’d never quite believed could be true - about a combat medic chewing off the remaining tendons that were holding on an otherwise disembodied arm, in order that she could then take the wounded man off the field.

Maybe these are the statues of war we should be building instead of glorious soldiers fearlessly advancing.

[Hawkmumbler]

Then I read one bit that *was* in one of his comics and that I’d never quite believed could be true - about a combat medic chewing off the remaining tendons that were holding on an otherwise disembodied arm, in order that she could then take the wounded man off the field.

My great uncle was flat footed, he never made active duty during the first war. He was however conscripted as a medic and stretcher bearer following Ypres. I can confirm reading his diary, this was a very common thing medics had to do.

[The Mind of Wolfie Smith]

the umwomanly face of war is one of the great books. and we're lucky to have translations of this great ukrainian/belarusian writer. harrowing. unflinching. essential. human. lyrical in the darkness. i'm not a fan of compulsory reading lists, but i'll make an exception for this one - europe would be an infinitely better place if everyone had read this.

[Richard]

Garth Ennis wrote a great comic called Sara about female snipers in the Red Army in WW2.

[broodblik]

Garth Ennis wrote a great comic called Sara about female snipers in the Red Army in WW2.

Yip that was very good