The Interpretation of Violence in Modern Warfare

THE INTERPRETATION OF VIOLENCE IN MODERN WARFARE:

THREE POINTS OF VIEW

Napier’s memoirs demonstrate the violence of the battle against the French as a death sentence, Arndt’s call to arms describes the idealistic nationalist movement in Germany and Goya’s painting “The Third of May” illustrates the terror of war. These three pieces describe, from the point of view of the realist, the idealist and the reactionary, the violence of modern warfare.

William Napier’s memoir illustrates the day-to-day violence of the life of a professional soldier and describes the realities of modern warfare. Napier describes the “acharnement” of the French troops and the fear experienced by his men, as well as the feeling of being attacked from every direction, a Napoleonic trademark . The memoir is a realistic view of Napier’s soldiers’ lives and a first hand account of the violence of war and its effects on paid professional soldiers. Nonetheless, Napier is something of an idealist as well; he is “stung” by the disloyalty of his men in their unwillingness to follow him towards grievous injury on the other side of the wall .

Napier’s first hand memoir contrasts with Ernest Moritz Arndt’s description of the unity movement in Germany. Arndt was a writer and as such his description of the War of Liberation is an idealistic message and a piece of propaganda rather than a historical account. This is demonstrated in his descriptions of the “exhausted” citizenry and the “young girl, with tears of pride and pain . . . leaving her betrothed” As a call to arms and a reaction to the occupation, the piece offers a civilian’s perspective. Arndt’s rhetoric was intended to galvanize the nationalist movement and the desire to drive the French out of Germany .

The painting The Third of May 1808 by Francisco Goya (1745-1828) painted six years after the execution of the guerrilla fighters by French troops, is another call for nationalism. Goya’s painting was not journalism. This painting is in fact a grim reflection on the whole nature of power . Showing the brutality of an organized army against unorganized, and