The Consequences of War

The Consequences of War
War is portrayed in many ways. It can be portrayed in different types of media such as movies, film, books, and art. For example, Dao, James article "The Dogs of War, Suffering Like Soldiers”. It talks about how dogs that participate in war suffer just as much as the soldiers do. Another example is the picture “Consequences of War” by Peter Paul Rubens which shows violence and anger. The final example I will be discussing is the photographs by James Nachtwey which show the sadness in the people’s eyes as they lose what they have due to the war.
Dao James article “The Dogs of War, Suffering Like Soldiers” is an article about dogs who participate in war who get mental problems after war like Post-traumatic stress disorder. By some estimates, more than 5 percent of the approximately 650 military dogs deployed by American combat forces are developing canine PTSD. The Marine Corps also has begun using specially trained dogs to track Taliban fighters and bomb-makers, and Special Operations commandos train their own dogs to accompany elite teams on secret missions like the Navy SEAL raid that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. Across all the forces, more than 50 military dogs have been killed since 2005. The number of working dogs on active duty has risen to 2700, from 1800 in 2001, and the training school headquartered here at Lackland has gotten busy, preparing about 500 dogs a year. So has the Holland hospital, the Pentagon’s canine version of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. When the dogs get these disorders, some dogs are also treated with the same medications used to fight panic attacks in humans. Dr. Burghardt asserts that medications seem particularly effective when administered soon after traumatizing events. The Labrador retriever that cowered under a cot after a firefight, for instance, was given Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, and within days was working well again.
“Consequences of War” by Peter Paul Rubens. The principal figure is Mars, who has left open the temple of Janus and hurries forward with shield and blood-stained sword, threatening the people with great disaster. He pays little heed to Venus, his mistress, who, accompanied by Amors and Cupids, strives with caresses and embraces to hold him. From the other side, Mars is dragged forward by the Fury Alekto, with a torch in her hand. Nearby are monsters personifying Pestilence and Famine, those inseparable partners of War. On the ground, turning her back lays a woman with a broken lute, representing Harmony, which is incompatible with the discord of War. There is also a mother with her child in her arms, demonstrating that fecundity, procreation and charity are thwarted by War, which destroys and makes anarchy everything. In addition, one sees an architect thrown on his back, with his instruments in his hand, to show that which in time of peace is constructed for the use and ornamentation of the City, is hurled to the ground by the force of arms and falls to ruin. There ought also to be a bundle of darts or arrows, with the band which held them together undone; these when bound form the symbol of Concord. Beside them is the caduceus and an olive branch, attribute of Peace; these are also cast aside. That grief-stricken woman clothed in black, with torn veil, robbed of all her jewels and other ornaments, is the unfortunate Europe who, for so many years now, has suffered plunder, outrage, and misery, which are so injurious to everyone, that it is unnecessary to go into detail. Europe's attribute is the globe, borne by a small angel or genius, and surmounted by the cross, to symbolize the Christian world.
Photographs by James Nachtwey show sadness in people’s faces from what they’ve lost. He at the scene of 9/11 and took pictures there. When the planes hit, he packed up his cameras, loaded all the film he had, and ran toward the burning towers. As he had done so many times before, he was running toward something that everyone else, except for the other first-responders, was running away from. He was going to do his job: to get to the spot and document what was happening. Nachtwey spent the rest of the day at Ground Zero, doing his job. He had brought 28 rolls of film, and gave one precious roll away to a fellow photographer. Ten years ago, Nachtwey had not yet switched over to digital, so there are 27 contact sheets from September 11th. Fourteen of Nachtwey’s images that were posted on Time.com had 2 million page views on that first day.