An Intimate History of Killing

An Intimate History of Killing examines the psychological and emotional experiences of soldiers who engaged in face-to-face combat during 20th century wars, focusing on conflicts involving British, American, and Australian forces. The book draws from soldiers' letters, diaries, memoirs and interviews to document their relationships with killing in wartime. Through these personal accounts, Bourke reconstructs the mental states and reactions of servicemen before, during, and after their combat experiences. Military training methods, unit cohesion, cultural attitudes about violence, and the institutional frameworks that enabled killing are analyzed through both official records and individual testimonies. The accounts span multiple wars including World War I, World War II, and Vietnam. The work challenges assumptions about human nature and violence by revealing how ordinary people adapted to and processed acts of wartime killing. It raises questions about the societal mechanisms that transform civilians into combatants and the lasting psychological impact of sanctioned violence.

Readers note the book provides detailed firsthand accounts from soldiers about their combat experiences in 20th century wars. Many appreciate Bourke's examination of how soldiers rationalized and processed killing, with one reader calling it "an unflinching look at the psychological aspects of combat." Readers highlight the extensive use of soldiers' letters, diaries, and memoirs. Several mention the value of hearing directly from those who experienced combat rather than just military historians. Common criticisms include: - Too much focus on British forces - Repetitive examples and quotes - Academic writing style can be dry - Some accounts feel cherry-picked to support the author's arguments Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (219 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (41 ratings) Google Books: 4/5 (5 ratings) One Amazon reviewer wrote: "Bourke delves deep into soldiers' minds but sometimes gets lost in academic theory rather than letting their stories speak for themselves."

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🔹 While researching the book, Joanna Bourke analyzed over 500 personal diaries and letters from soldiers who served in World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. 🔹 The book challenges the common belief that soldiers are naturally reluctant to kill, showing evidence that many combatants found pleasure and satisfaction in the act of killing during wartime. 🔹 Bourke's work won the Wolfson History Prize and the Fraenkel Prize in Contemporary History for its groundbreaking examination of combat psychology. 🔹 The author discovered that military training techniques evolved significantly between WWI and Vietnam, specifically focusing on dehumanizing the enemy to make killing easier for soldiers. 🔹 The book's research reveals that soldiers often used elaborate euphemisms and metaphors in their writings about killing, comparing it to hunting, sports, or even sexual conquest.