Analysis of 'On Killing': Psychological Cost of War and Society

This report provides an analysis of the book 'On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society,' exploring the psychological impact of war on soldiers. The report delves into the research of SLA Marshall, highlighting the reluctance of soldiers to kill and the subsequent military training methods implemented to overcome this resistance. It examines the psychological trauma faced by soldiers, including guilt, shame, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the impact of combat exposure on mental health. The report also explores the role of media and violent entertainment, such as first-shooter games, in desensitizing individuals to violence and its potential connection to societal issues. Furthermore, the report discusses the use of pre-combat drugs, illicit substances, and various therapies to mitigate the psychological effects of war, offering a comprehensive overview of the complex relationship between killing, the military, and society.

On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society
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On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society
Purpose
In this book, the author wants to highlight the notions of a soldier, that how they feel when they
are engaged in a war. The book is focused on SLA Marshall’s observations and studies at the
time of World War II, which depicted that most of the soldiers who were engaged in the world
war were reluctant to fire their weapons and ammunition owing to their innate attributes, which
resisted them to perform the same. By critically analyzing these observations and statistics, the
military introduced new training parameters and methodologies which broke the shackles of
resistance, and the firing rate was increased by 90%, as these statistics were obtained during
Vietnam War. The soldiers engaged in War suffers from psychological effects and impacts if
they are not properly explained the purpose of killing.
Summary
The extensive research done by the author highlights the impact of killing individuals during
War of soldiers. He has confirmed, that a personal price is paid by the soldiers engaged even
though they have permission and motive to kill. The soldiers kill in War to defend their life and
to obey the orders from their officers. A review and analysis were done by SLA Marshall, who
interviewed numerous soldiers and asked them regarding their role and experience in the War.
The statistics obtained from these interviews that only 15 – 20% of the soldiers fired at the
enemy. On the basis of data obtained, Marshall concluded that a healthy person at times could
deviate from killing another fellow men, which means that the soldier has deviated from its role
and responsibility. The statistics after training and exercise from military professional increased
to several folds as evident from Korean War and Vietnam War. The language used to describe
the War conditions depicts the mental notions of soldiers as if they are programmed to kill the
enemy. Although the exercise and training have helped soldiers to have no feelings and
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On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society
sensitivity attached while killing, still they feel that their purpose and role in the war is only to
kill rather than showcasing bravery. The technique used to overcome these sensitivity issues
were Pavlovian and operant conditioning. The author compares the behavior and mindset to that
of animals, who uses posturing while in the attack. Bu if this technique adopted by animals fails,
it leads to attack, which is intended to harm but not death. This inference is also comparable and
similar in the case of humans. This is evident from the fact, as the soldiers avoid killing of the
enemy in the battleground. The author has addressed the example of his grandfather, who always
aimed poorly at the prisoners and tried not to kill them. The book has addressed a serious
question that if the soldiers are so reluctant to fire then why this condition has not been
highlighted. Grossman has concluded that militarily is not solely responsible for keeping this a
secret, but it is rather a tradition not to highlight these situations, which also includes lies and
forgery. The modern media, however, have broken the shackles and myths by depicting the
reality to the world.
Apart from this, the battle analysis was done by Grossman, which depicts that the soldier tends to
fear more for not meeting the obligations of War. This condition has overpowered their fear of
death or survival during War. The soldier faces an ambiguity in War if he kills or not during
War. In case soldier kills, he suffers from guilt, or he suffers from shame if he does not. Further
analysis revealed that those soldiers or personnel who were not engaged in the battle zone
suffered less psychological trauma in comparison to soldiers, whose duty and the role was to kill
the enemy. His studies highlighted the difference in the case of naval combat in which the
personnel's does not experience any trauma or mental damage. This is due to the fact that they do
not have to kill anyone directly and their role is limited to breaking enemy ships and airplanes.
Similar was the experience and statistics obtained from the aerial force. The author also has
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On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society
described the severity of the trauma faced, which is directly proportional to the distance between
the soldier and the enemy. Statistics revealed that 50400 men died during World War II due to
mental trauma and damage. The studies further revealed that 98 % of the war survivors died
within 60 days of war owing to the same reason. The US Army has considered the use of pre –
combat drugs, which will help soldiers to suppress these trauma experienced but it is stated that
consuming these will make an army of sociopaths. The soldiers in order to relieve themselves
from post-war trauma consumed illicit drugs like marijuana, heroin, and opium. The book has
shown several cases where the soldiers have faced or suffered from post-traumatic stress
disorder. The willingness to comply with killing orders was induced by giving shock treatments
and therapy to soldiers. All of these factors and methodologies are implemented to increase kill
ratios. Grossman also has inter – related the battle deaths to that of violence in US society. This
is also affected by the advertisements that viewers see and is often reflected in their actions and
behavior. The media has played a crucial role in instigating these activities as they have
replicated the conditioning techniques implemented in the army, which has increased the rate of
theft, murder, and violence. In the last section of the book, Grossman has laid emphasis on the
use of first shooter games and other entertainment sources, which involves graphic violence
tends to desensitize soldiers before going to actual war. The book overall has offered several real
life examples and statistics that reveal several aspects of soldiers and their affect to society.
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