Soldiers fighting in another country; should they know the language or not?
- Sushan
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Soldiers fighting in another country; should they know the language or not?
The author of my enemy in Vietnam shared how his knowledge of the language of another country helped him to thrive and relate well with the locals. Is it good to know the language of the locals of a place that you go to wage war? Will it be more advantageous to your mission? Or will it make you friendly with the foes and soften yourself, letting the mission to become less successful?
– William James
- LuckyR
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Re: Soldiers fighting in another country; should they know the language or not?
Is it "good" (meaning: useful)? Certainly. More options is always a better situation. Could a bright person come up with a novel, potential downside? Sure, but as we all know, anything is possible, but "anything" usually doesn't happen.Sushan wrote: ↑March 22nd, 2022, 10:10 pm This topic is about the March 2022 Philosophy Book of the Month, My Enemy in Vietnam by Billy Springer
The author of my enemy in Vietnam shared how his knowledge of the language of another country helped him to thrive and relate well with the locals. Is it good to know the language of the locals of a place that you go to wage war? Will it be more advantageous to your mission? Or will it make you friendly with the foes and soften yourself, letting the mission to become less successful?
- Sushan
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Re: Soldiers fighting in another country; should they know the language or not?
If you mean by 'anything' the possibility to a soldier to become softened after communicating with the enemy, especially the women and children, I think it has a very high possibility. All of the soldiers are humans, and many of them retain the human qualities such as empathy and sympathy. So if they can freely communicate with the enemy side they will clearly see the harm that they are doing and easily get softened. Even in Ukraine war we saw how Russian soldiers gave food to the Ukrainian kids.LuckyR wrote: ↑March 23rd, 2022, 1:33 amIs it "good" (meaning: useful)? Certainly. More options is always a better situation. Could a bright person come up with a novel, potential downside? Sure, but as we all know, anything is possible, but "anything" usually doesn't happen.Sushan wrote: ↑March 22nd, 2022, 10:10 pm This topic is about the March 2022 Philosophy Book of the Month, My Enemy in Vietnam by Billy Springer
The author of my enemy in Vietnam shared how his knowledge of the language of another country helped him to thrive and relate well with the locals. Is it good to know the language of the locals of a place that you go to wage war? Will it be more advantageous to your mission? Or will it make you friendly with the foes and soften yourself, letting the mission to become less successful?
– William James
- LuckyR
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Re: Soldiers fighting in another country; should they know the language or not?
If what you are theorizing was true, civil wars (where communication was perfect) would be known for extra compassion, whereas they are known for brutality (compared to wars between countries).Sushan wrote: ↑March 23rd, 2022, 9:55 pmIf you mean by 'anything' the possibility to a soldier to become softened after communicating with the enemy, especially the women and children, I think it has a very high possibility. All of the soldiers are humans, and many of them retain the human qualities such as empathy and sympathy. So if they can freely communicate with the enemy side they will clearly see the harm that they are doing and easily get softened. Even in Ukraine war we saw how Russian soldiers gave food to the Ukrainian kids.LuckyR wrote: ↑March 23rd, 2022, 1:33 amIs it "good" (meaning: useful)? Certainly. More options is always a better situation. Could a bright person come up with a novel, potential downside? Sure, but as we all know, anything is possible, but "anything" usually doesn't happen.Sushan wrote: ↑March 22nd, 2022, 10:10 pm This topic is about the March 2022 Philosophy Book of the Month, My Enemy in Vietnam by Billy Springer
The author of my enemy in Vietnam shared how his knowledge of the language of another country helped him to thrive and relate well with the locals. Is it good to know the language of the locals of a place that you go to wage war? Will it be more advantageous to your mission? Or will it make you friendly with the foes and soften yourself, letting the mission to become less successful?
- wilbar
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Re: Soldiers fighting in another country; should they know the language or not?
- Sushan
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Re: Soldiers fighting in another country; should they know the language or not?
I see that your comment about learning the piano can be interpreted as an analogy to the original question concerning the advantages and disadvantages of knowing the language of the locals in a war setting. In this context, the process of learning the piano represents the effort required to understand and communicate with the local population during a conflict.
Just as learning the piano can be challenging but rewarding, acquiring the language of the locals in a conflict zone may also be demanding yet beneficial. By investing time and effort into understanding the local language and culture, one may be able to foster better relationships with the population and gain valuable insights that could help in achieving military objectives or promoting long-term peace.
– William James
2023/2024 Philosophy Books of the Month
Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul
by Mitzi Perdue
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March 2023