Hell, Healing, and Resistance: Veterans Speak

The critiques of this book from supposed veterans is disturbing. It is indeed true that many American soldiers (most, surely) did not and have not committed war crimes. However, to totally ignore history and overwhelming evidence smacks of ultra nationalistic pride and an unwillingness to look into your own heart.A Marine officer, a colonel I believe, when finding out about the My Lai massacre commented, "Every brigade has its My Lai." I have no idea how many brigades served in Vietnam, but even one My Lai was too much! There are in fact extensive personal narrative history books from not just the Vietnam War, but other wars as well, including WW I, II, and Korea that PROVE the reality of this book. The truth is, soldiers from all countries, INCLUDING from the U.S., have committed atrocious and morally reprehensible war crimes. To suggest otherwise is blind ignorance and pride. And to argue that the US government always prosecutes perpetrators?! Certainly not. The soldiers involved in the true incident depicted in the movie "Casualties of War" (having read the original nonfiction text I can assure all that the movie is very faithful to the truth) received, only a few years of prison time. And even then, the soldier who brought them to justice had to fight for months and months for the US Army to do something about the rape and murder of a young village girl. And that is just one story of many that could be told . . . Again, it's laughable to think that the US government would actively prosecute its own soldiers. History has proven otherwise again and again.I salute those who have gone into combat. But that doesn't deny the reality of war.I recommend this book.

Although the author presents veterans who favor and oppose the military, he does not disguise his conclusion that many veterans have been harmed by their experience in the military. This book is an eye-opener to those who have only heard a pro-military line and should be REQUIRED READING for anybody considering joining the military.Although over 100 veterans present parts of their stories to the reader, the book holds together well, with only lucid anecdotes presented.This book should be in every high school library as it contains information that may be hard to find but has a strong bearing on a decision that faces every student upon graduation.

These grunt-level stories are real and understandibly tough. The HELL of war is not hidden from the reader. Hallock writes very well as he peels off the sugar coating to get to the medicine of understanding the political,human,and spiritual cost of war. Hallock helps us realize that nobody wins; we all lose; and some never get to go home physically or spritually. I am 52 years old and a Nam combat veteran who thought he would "get over it." The men and women "I met" in this collection of 140 stories helped me to reclaim an identity that I buried at the cost of never understanding what really happened to me and my family, who lived with my numbed, distant emotions that only surfaced as anger. It's the first book that I could give my sons and daughter and say this is what it was really like for me. It should be required reading for V.A. counsellors, parents and teachers. I give it Five Stars with a combat "V".

I worked as Hallock's secretary, typing up his 40 interviews and 100 first-hand accounts of the wars of this century, writing the index, and the countless other tasks that go into the making of a book. What I learned about the hell of war and militarism shocked me, but most of all it taught me compassion and understanding for our country's veterans. As a nation, I believe we need to look deeply at how militarism has penetrated our psyche, devastating lives and families. We cannot afford to continue this pattern. But "Hell, Healing, and Resistance" offers hope and a path to healing, for individuals and communities.

Mr. Hallock has given us a book that describes the pain and anguish of combat and the cost to all involved. It is easy to put a price on war: X number of Americans killed and wounded, Y number of the enemy dead and a monetary price on the damage done to both sides. This book shows us the COST of war from all sides. The veteran's anguish at what he did for survival, the spouses pain at what war has turned a partner into and the confusion of the children are all examined in graphic detail.. The book also examines the cost for those who resist - the war resister, draft evader and the innocents caught in the grinding gears of war. This book brings our country's wars into sharp focus; for those who have experienced combat the reality is brought back again. For the fortunates who did not, a small measure of the experience can be realized. This is the literary equivalent of "Saving Private Ryan" w/o the contrived moral ending. It provides a viewpoint that is not often seen and will be instructive to those who are considering military service and an awakening for those who have not considered the debt we owe our veterans.