The Necessity of Graphic Images in War
The Necessity of Graphic Images in War War is a collection of sensory details. A soldier will never forget the smell of the burning forests once he has experienced them firsthand. Forever the sound of a helicopter overhead will trigger a sense of safety in a veteran, who remembers that aircraft whisking him away from the terror of battle. Long after it heals, a bullet wound will ache terribly, sensitive to more than just the touch but the thought of touching. To remember war, one must remain in contact with these sensory details. Unfortunately, most of them are not accessible to someone who was not there. For an outsider, the sense of sight is often all that is available. In his short story "Shooting an Elephant" ("SE"), George Orwell describes a personal experience from his time as a British imperial officer; stories like these grant those who are interested access to a more in-depth depiction of war, one that cannot be gleaned from photographs alone. In "From Realism to Virtual Reality: Images of America's Wars" (Franklin), H. Bruce Franklin examines the development of media coverage in war through a discussion of post Civil War photographs, propaganda in filmmaking, the effect of graphic imagery during the Vietnam War, and
Franklin comments on Civil War photography, "The photographers' need to stay close their cumbersome horse-drawn laboratory wagons [. Therefore, whether these graphic images or stories support America, criticize America, glorify the enemy, or vilify the enemy, all truthful accounts of war must be displayed publicly. We see images of bombings and American soldiers running with guns. ] forced them to focus on scenes of stillness rather than action. Therefore, it is essential that stories such as Orwell's are not repressed. The elephant's death was not painless. Therefore, it is important to show only the realistic elements of war; romantic elements are inaccurate and untruthful. Most of these Iraqi prisoners wore sacks wrapped tightly around their heads with no eye or air holes. Franklin discusses in detail the video footage broadcast on the evening news: "[. " Abuse of the enemy is expected in war; normally, the mission is to kill. Therefore, the showing of graphic, violent imagery can act as propaganda for any political view, depending on interpretation. We can also assume that graphic war images would air at a time when children are sleeping. For instance, if the photograph of an American officer crying in pain because of his amputated arm was shown to the public, one may build resentment toward Iraqis, thus augmenting their support for the war. Orwell describes the pain and suffering that comes with robbing life. But in falling he seemed for a moment to rise, for as his hind legs collapsed beneath him he seemed to tower upward like a huge rock toppling, his trunk reaching skywards like a tree" (SE 339).
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Acceptance Essays
