An Intimate History of Killing

Download or read book An Intimate History of Killing written by Joanna Bourke and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 604 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this study, the author uses the letters, diaries, memoirs, and reports of veterans from three conflicts - the First and Second World Wars and the Vietnam War - to establish a picture of the man-at-arms. She suggests that the structure of war encourages pleasure in killing, and that ordinary, gentle human beings in civilian life can become enthusiastic killers without becoming brutalized by the horrors of combat.