War - Part Two: Anybody's Son Will Do (1 of 6)
Why Hacker News recommends it
Recommended as a classic documentary on military training and the psychology of going to war.
What it is
An episode of Gwynne Dyer's 1983 documentary series War, about how military basic training turns recruits into soldiers. It covers the psychological side of conditioning.
Recommended by 3 HN commenters across 3 different months, 2013 to 2017.
What Hacker News said
Strong rec htormey · 2015-04 · on “Why Young Men Go to War”
A great documentary miniseries about this topic is War: A Commentary by Gwynne Dyer. In particular, the episode anyone's son will do: [LINK] [this video] The episode covers what goes into training young people who enter the marine core. It features candid interviews with drill sergeants and the recruits themselves about their motivations. Well worth a watch. One of the main points the episode makes is that the job of being a soldier is ultimately about killing and dying, something that doesn’t come naturally to most people. The method for turning young men into soldiers is basic training. According to Dyer the secret of basic training is that its not really about teaching people, its about changi
Strong rec bitexploder · 2017-09 · on “The Ballad of the Green Beret”
Yeah. It is interesting though. I think the classic PBS documentary "anyone's son will do" is great. [this video] I think war in the industrialized world is almost purely political. Wars in the modern day are arranged by old men and politicians and fought by young men. I don't blame the young men, but I think it goes back to some aspects of human biology and how young men see themselves and are manipulated through patriotism and other political forces to volunteer (or be conscripted) into a military to serve political ends. In a time before two tribes could communicate and apply some reason to things, force was the only way to resolve things. Force and violence is still a crude, simple, and effec
Recommends digitalengineer · 2013-09 · on “WikiLeaks Leaks 'Fifth Estate' Screenplay”
"Anybody's son will do" [LINK] This documentary explains in great detail the nature of military basic training and its psychological component . It's on Youtube: [this video]