A Woman In Berlin

It forecastms intelligible that a civilian population would experience and have a aspect on warfare than members of the military, solely when for those who perpetrate warfare mainly the multi-national crocked corporate interests, the bankers and stockbrokers, and the politicians who ultimately give the orders while rarely if ever measly the direct consequences, it seems to matter little. It has been this way throughout human history, but up until the advent of mechanized warfare, it was primarily soldiers, whose job it is to carry out orders, who experienced the consequences first-hand. civilizedian populations have suffered these consequences periodically throughout history as well, but it was after the development of mechanized slaughter that civilians became regular first-hand victims of the horrors of war. The American Civil war and the First humanity War had brought this to civilian populations on a wide-scale basis to some extent, but it was really the Second foundi ng War in which mechanized warfare had been perfected to the point that virtually some(prenominal) civilian population could be affected including that of Germany.The Germans had been subject to humiliation and passion following the First World War as well as major economic upheavals conditions that allowed Hitler to come to power in the first place. N bingletheless, German villages, cities and infrastructure had survived the 1914-1918 conflict nearly intact. This was non the case during the Second World War. Germany, for a brief time had been the worlds great superpower, which seemed only fitting to its people particularly after the countrys prominent rise prior to hostilities, and the apparent ease with which German forces had secured lebensraum for the deutsches leute.The anon. author of A Woman In Berlin, a day-by-day account of Berlins fall and subsequent occupation by Soviet military, gives us a vivid account of the subsequent disbelief, the initial clinging to hope in the case, the changed side on everyday life, and the various survival tactics employed. Mainly however, it is a story of the transition from feelings of power over ones passel to powerlessness, and what issues, formerly trivial, fritter on monumental importance in the face of a struggle simply to survive Heart, hurt, love, desire how foreign, how distant those nomenclature sound now.Evidently a sophisticated, discriminating love life requires terce square meals a day. 1 It is also an experience of life bleak to its bare essentials Once again, we see what a dubious blessing engineering is. Machines with no intrinsic value, worthless if you cant plug them in somewhere. Bread however is absolute. 2 In light of this, it is fascinating to see how people at least in the beginning grasp on to any semblance of order as civilization collapses about them.On page 13 is a stark example of the unique ethnical traits of the German people of that time cultural traits that had allowed H itler and the Nazi party to make prisoner the power that eventually led to the downfall disrespect the lack of enforcement, disdain the fact that the tram is nearly empty, the narrator walks alongside it in a pouring simply because she does not have the Class III rag that would entitle her to ride. Order. Its rooted deep inside us we do what we are told. 3 As the Russians enter the city, suddenly, they are no lifelong a distant, faceless enemy they are humans like the German civilians, but unlike the Germans, they are predominantly young, male, relatively well-fed and enraged. It is not always acknowledged that the Russians suffered far greater casualties than the U. S. , Great Britain and the free garrisons from countries such as France and Poland combined. According to the official Nazi party line, Slavs, i. . Russians, were little relegate than Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals. Despite ukaz Stalina (Stalins decree), repeated acts of rape and assault occur. As one Russian ins ists What did the Germans do to our women? 4 revealing that these are not acts of lust or sexual hunger these are acts of vengeance. Ultimately, and perhaps inevitably, hunger and synthetic rubber needs the lowest needs on Maslows hierarchy take priority as the vanquished adapt in order to survive.The narrator is voluntary to submit to Only one in order to avoid cosmos gang-raped. Even during the act itself, shes only half present, and that half is no longer resisting. 5 Eventually, she must find a single wildcat well to keep away the pack. 6 Ultimately, even the men adapt, surrendering and serving the conquerors despite orders not to surrender, the desire to live wins out.One difference amongst Soviet combat troops and that of every otherwise combatant is the presence of women Were amazed to see so many woman soldiers, with field tunics, skirts, berets and insignia7 It is unclear from the narrative if the presence of Russian women prevented the brutish behavior from be wor se than it was, but it is noteworthy that eventually, victor and vanquished are on first-name basis, very interacting on a human level. One stark difference between the civilian and the military perspective stands out in bold ministration in the military, there is usually a bond of brotherhood among the soldiers of a given unit.In the heat of battle, a soldier isnt struggle for his flag, for geo-political advantage or territory theyre fighting for their comrades. On the other hand, among the civilians, it seems to come down for every man or woman for his/herself I couldnt care about the lot of themall my feelings seem dead, provided for the drive to live. 8 This story is a history of a little-known chapter of World War II, but it is more importantly a testament to the overcome power of the survival instinct.