"Okinawa: The Bloodiest Battle Of All" by William Manchester (1987)

Visual Source: Global Research
In the essay, Manchester quotes General MacArthur who said, "Only the dead have seen the end of war."

William Manchester was one of the many Marines who fought in Okinawa against the Japanese. He wrote this essay to provide a different perspective on war, and that wars, along with those that lost their lives in them, should be remembered. The essay starts by Manchester describing Flag Day, and the ceremony that will take place in Okinawa. He then talks about his experiences as a soldier, and jumps back and forth between these two topics. The author shares his deep, and probably not socially accepted, opinions that really allow his personality to bloom. When describing how wars have changed, he says, "By the time children have reached the age of awareness, they regard uniforms, decorations and Sousa marches as exalted, and those who argue otherwise are regarded as unpatriotic." In his opinion, being drafted into the war was seen as honorable and respectable, but now it's a horrible event that no one wants to talk about. Manchester writes with a formal tone, with almost no room for humor, which fits the topic. He is clearly traumatized by what happened, and his solemn tone proves that his experiences in war will stay with him forever. Manchester wanted to show his audience, which would be the general public, that some scars from war can never be healed. At the end of the essay, he states that he'll never be able to forgive the Japanese, and it supports his earlier comments about them. His images of war from his mind are transferred on the page through his vivid descriptions, and his occasional comments that do not fit the rest of his style make this essay an interesting read. For example, when describing some of the battle in Okinawa, he comments that "blood is sticky" after telling of his experience in walking through it. Machester's purpose is clearly shown in this essay because of his first-hand background and unique perspective on the battle of Okinawa, as well as war in general.