Reading Log n29

Date: September 4th,2007
Title:The art of soldiering
Link:http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1657770,00.html

Vocabulary

1-NATO:an organization formed in Washington, D.C. (1949), comprising the 12 nations of the Atlantic Pact together with Greece, Turkey, and the Federal Republic of Germany, for the purpose of collective defense against aggression.
2-ammunition:the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon, as bombs or rockets, and esp. shot, shrapnel, bullets, or shells fired by guns.
3-skirmish:Military. a fight between small bodies of troops, esp. advanced or outlying detachments of opposing armies.
4-cum:with; combined with; along with (usually used in combination): My garage-cum-workshop is well equipped.
5-shrapnel:a hollow projectile containing bullets or the like and a bursting charge, designed to explode before reaching the target, and to set free a shower of missiles.
6-minutiae:precise details; small or trifling matters: the minutiae of his craft.
7-sundry:various or diverse: sundry persons.
8-cot:a light portable bed, esp. one of canvas on a folding frame.

Summary

"Helmand: The Soldier´s Story"is an exhibition running at the Britain´s National Army Museum in London. Real video and audio footage are part of this exhibition, which shows the horrors and madness of war and at the same time the day to day of british soldiers in Afghanistan.Soldier´s belongings are also part of this show,donated by more than 150 soldiers.People who attend the exhibition can write their reactions on a uncensored message board.A great variety of messages were written, from strong criticism to war and the exhibition´s material to messages supporting the troops.

Personal Reaction

While I was reading this article,I felt very sad and terrify.This kind of "museum of horror and death"may be very shocking,because of the footage´s content and the nature of the exhibition.To be honest,I wouldn´t like to attend this show;I know that war is the worst thing humankind has invented,and I don´t need to see it in an exhibition.The content of the videos shown in this exhibition seem to reflect the madness and cruelty of the soldiers involved in a war,it doesn´t matter their country.But I also think that some of them are just victims of this sick and rotten world.