Today we delve into a deep examination of author, combate veteran, and retired police officer William W. Johnstone's following quote that was written before I was born by a real man that had our best interests at heart:
“The government troops began their search-and-destroy missions. They entered hospitals and nursing homes and found the patients had been armed. The very old and sick and dying fought just as savagely as the young and strong and healthy. Old people, with tubes hanging from their bodies, some barely able to crawl, hurled grenades and shot at the special troops. And the young men in their jump boots and berets and silver wings wept as they killed the old people. Tough marines cried at the carnage.
Many of the young soldiers threw down their weapons and walked away, refusing to take part in more killing. It was not cowardice on their part—not at all. These young men would have fought to the death against a threat to liberty; but the people of the Tri-states were no threat to their liberty. And the young troops finally learned the lesson their forefathers died for at Valley Forge: people have a right to be free, to live arid work and play in peace and personal freedom—and to govern themselves.
Many of the young troops deserted to join the Rebels; officers publicly shot enlisted people who refused to fight against a group of citizens whom they believed had done no wrong.
The universal soldier syndrome came home to many of the troops: without us, you can’t have a war.” Excerpt From
Out of the Ashes.
In the haunting aftermath of conflict, a chilling truth unfolded as government troops, clad in military might, embarked on their search-and-destroy missions. Hospitals and nursing homes, typically sanctuaries of care, became unexpected battlegrounds. Patients, frail and ailing, were armed with a tenacity that defied their weakened state. The elderly fought alongside the young, and the sick, with tubes clinging to their bodies, waged a fierce resistance against the invading forces.
As the special troops, adorned in jump boots, berets, and silver wings, pressed forward, a heart-wrenching paradox unfolded. Tough marines, conditioned for battle, found themselves shedding tears as they confronted a scenario where the very people they were trained to protect became adversaries. The old and infirm, displaying an indomitable spirit, hurled grenades and fired shots in a desperate bid for freedom.
Amidst this chaos, something extraordinary happened. A profound realization dawned upon the young soldiers, a realization that transcended the immediate orders before them. In the face of elderly warriors and citizens deemed no threat to their liberty, the soldiers confronted a moral crossroads. They understood a lesson that their forefathers had paid for with blood at Valley Forge – the inalienable right of people to live in peace, to govern themselves, and to enjoy the blessings of personal freedom.
The courage displayed by the patients, some barely able to crawl, resonated with the very essence of the liberty these young soldiers had sworn to uphold. It was not an act of cowardice that prompted some soldiers to cast aside their weapons; rather, it was a courageous stand against perpetuating violence against those who sought only to live free.
The universal soldier syndrome, the understanding that without them, war could not thrive, manifested in a profound awakening. Many soldiers, guided by the principles of justice and liberty, chose to desert their ranks and join the ranks of the Rebels. In this pivotal moment, officers were faced with the stark choice of suppressing the rebellion within their own ranks or recognizing the righteousness of the cause.
Some officers, blinded by authority, chose to shoot enlisted individuals who refused to turn against fellow citizens they believed had committed no wrongdoing. The echoes of this internal strife reverberated through the ranks, revealing the fragile nature of blind obedience to unjust orders.
In the crucible of adversity, the soldiers learned a profound truth – that liberty knows no bounds, and the fight for freedom extends beyond external enemies to include the vigilant defense against injustice within one's own ranks. "Out of the Ashes" stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring pursuit of liberty, even in the face of tears, carnage, and the haunting reminder that, without them, a war cannot endure.