WWII as Entertainment
In case you haven't surmised from my earlier posts, I am of a later generation than most writers on the Second World War, neither GI Generation nor Baby Boomer. As such, I wasn't there and wasn't even raised by those who were there.
I find the entire war period fascinating. I devour books about all theatres of the war, both fiction and non-fiction. I grew up watching black-and-white documentaries about the war. I don't think anyone can claim to have seen all the movies about WWII, but I've seen my share. I hope to one day turn Doolittle's into a bookstore to make this all more than just a hobby.
And I game.
I've played computer games, both strategic and tactical. When time, space, and opponents permit, I play table-top wargames. I'm currently involved in a role-playing game set in the 1940s.
But what do you do when your 80+ year-old grandmother turns to you and says "For us it wasn't a game."
One of my favorite web sites for a while was called "Gary's Wargaming Page." Every week or so, he would update a bunch of play-by-play summaries of WWII wargames taking place all around the country, complete with commentary. One day, when I visiting the site, there was just a banner saying that he could no longer keep the site running in good conscience after watching "Saving Private Ryan." A few weeks later, the site was now devoted to tropical fish.
Another of my friends has said that he feels uncomfortable playing in a modern military role-playing campaign while he watches his neighbor recover from wounds he received in Iraq.
Is what Spielberg did with actors in "Ryan" any different than what Gary did with cardboard counters? Does pretending to be a Polish paratrooper at Arnhem Bridge in a role-playing game diminish the sacrifice of a Marine wounded in Fallujah?
I think most gamers realize that everyone involved in war is a person, a human, just like you and me. Even the saints and the monsters were just human. By retelling, replaying, even fictionalizing, their experiences, I don't think that we are dishonoring them.
I find the entire war period fascinating. I devour books about all theatres of the war, both fiction and non-fiction. I grew up watching black-and-white documentaries about the war. I don't think anyone can claim to have seen all the movies about WWII, but I've seen my share. I hope to one day turn Doolittle's into a bookstore to make this all more than just a hobby.
And I game.
I've played computer games, both strategic and tactical. When time, space, and opponents permit, I play table-top wargames. I'm currently involved in a role-playing game set in the 1940s.
But what do you do when your 80+ year-old grandmother turns to you and says "For us it wasn't a game."
One of my favorite web sites for a while was called "Gary's Wargaming Page." Every week or so, he would update a bunch of play-by-play summaries of WWII wargames taking place all around the country, complete with commentary. One day, when I visiting the site, there was just a banner saying that he could no longer keep the site running in good conscience after watching "Saving Private Ryan." A few weeks later, the site was now devoted to tropical fish.
Another of my friends has said that he feels uncomfortable playing in a modern military role-playing campaign while he watches his neighbor recover from wounds he received in Iraq.
Is what Spielberg did with actors in "Ryan" any different than what Gary did with cardboard counters? Does pretending to be a Polish paratrooper at Arnhem Bridge in a role-playing game diminish the sacrifice of a Marine wounded in Fallujah?
I think most gamers realize that everyone involved in war is a person, a human, just like you and me. Even the saints and the monsters were just human. By retelling, replaying, even fictionalizing, their experiences, I don't think that we are dishonoring them.
Labels: GI Generation
posted by The Ferrys at 15:07
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