A siege is always a hospital - a hospital where mad thoughts abound and where mad things are done; where, under the stimulus of an unnatural excitement, new beings are evolved, beings who, while having the outward shape of their former selves, and, indeed, most of the old outward characteristics, are yet reborn in some subtle way and are no longer the same.. The salt of life! Is it true, or is it merely a mistake, such as life-loving man naturally makes? For it can be nothing but the salt of death which has lain for a brief instant on the tongue of every soldier - a revolting salt which the soldier refuses to swallow and only is compelled to with strange cries and demon-like mutterings. Sometimes, poor mortal, all his struggles and his oaths are in vain. The dread salt is forced down his throat and he dies. The very fortunate have only an acrid taste which defines analysis left them. Of these more fortunate there are, however, many classes. Some, because they are neurotic or have some hereditary taint, the existence of which they have never suspected, in the end succumb; others do not entirely succumb but carry traces to their graves; yet others do not appear to mind at all. It is a very subtle poison, which may lie hidden in the blood for many months and years. I believe it is a terrible thing.. And yet even this nobody understands or cares to speak of.. Englishmen are proud, and want to know if you were inside the British Legation, their Legation, and when they have heard yes or no their interest ceases. They little know what the Legation stood for. The Americans march up to the Tartar Wall, talk about "Uncle Sam's boys, " and exclaim that it requires no guessing to tell who saved the Legations. The French are the same, so are the Germans, so even the Italians. Only the Japanese and the Russians say nothing.. I am, therefore, tired of it all, inexpressibly tired. I wish to escape from my hospital, to go away to some clean land where they understand so little of such things that their indifference will in the end, perhaps, convince me and make me forget. Yet can one ever forget? .B.L. Putnam Weale
About This Quote
This quote is about the life of the Japanese soldier. The Japanese soldiers were under great mental pressure during World War II. The Japanese soldiers were brainwashed and told that if they did not follow the orders of their superiors and fight they would be killed. During this time they were forced to starve and do many other things which made their bodies weak and they almost died from exhaustion.
Almost all of them died, but there were some that survived and when they returned home they told what it was like in the hospital. They thought about their wives and how they would never see them again, so they fought for their country even though it meant dying in battle. This is a very sad story because not only did these men die in battle, but many of them were taken to prison camps where they were put in cages and put on one side and if you did not fight you were put on the other side for the rest of your life.
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