During World War II letters were a good indication of mental illness affecting soldiers. There were four brothers that wrote hundreds of letters to each other throughout the war as seen through the Washington Post. Containing information on service, sacrifice, and trauma. The brothers go into detail about what they saw in war and special events. The letters even included racist and perojactive vocab about German and Japanese forces. The eldest of the brothers was Frank, a traveling soap salesman and all the younger brothers called him “the salesman.” Frank suffered from serious mental illness problems through the war and it’s shown throughout the letters how much he changes. Frank enlisted in the marines which was followed by the younger brother Ralph enlisted in the army. They both were stationed in California until Pearl Harbor hit. The third brother enlisted in the army too but didn’t want to be in combat. Through the letters being sent between the brothers Ralph told him “ Later on Frank writes to inform that he is section chief for an intelligence unit in 2nd Tank Battalion, overseeing 18 men. His brothers were writing letters to the father reassuring that Frank is going to be okay and that he is a strong man that doesn’t need to worry. Frank wrote to his brothers “Wherever I am, I know how to take care of myself and you know my speed, so watch them babies fall when I get that gun working, rolling at speeds over the sands.”The letters at the beginning of the war when he was being sent off show his character and how proud he was of what he was about to do. The confidence is pouring out of the letter and the tone is so positive about life. Frank continues to send letters talking about keeping in condition, going to church, and life on the islands. All throughout the early letters he seems positive and in good spirits. A couple months later Frank got sent home with the Purple heart which causes him lots of distress not being out there fighting. Frank was diagnosed with malaria and jaundice. Leaving his younger brothers out there causes him trouble at home. Later, Frank was diagnosed with combat fatigue which is what they used to call post traumatic stress disorder. After a few weeks passed doctors reported that he seemed better, or so they thought. Frank recovers and heads back out but his condition worsens when he is out on duty. Frank was diagnosed with schizophrenia. After the diagnosis his letters were shortened only talking about the weather and baseball. The tone becomes less positive and more gloomy. The doctors reported that he was very loopy and always seemed out of it. The younger brothers kept writing to him and giving him updates on the war even when he was in the psychiatric hospital. They also wrote letters trying to encourage him to get a job and keep going with his life. There is a noticeable difference between the letters during war and after being diagnosed. The tone shifted from being positive to gloomy and bleak. Frank was very proud and happy about how he was doing during his correspondence, as he was sending letters to his brothers.
Sometimes people appear in other people’s lives for a moment, a day, or even a lifetime. It matters not the time spent with that person but the impact they had in your life. Throughout viewing the World War II letters the common theme is the person the letters are being sent to. Whether the letters were sent to family, friends, significant others, or even schools. Humor and character poured throughout the letters they sent to each person. Writing to loved ones during the war was a useful tip for helping mental illness. Being able to reach out to loved ones and let them know the status. Also, in return, getting letters from family and friends helps that lonely and helpless feeling. “Letters were a great comfort. And the mail was indispensable. We couldn’t have won the war without it. It was terribly important as a motivator of the troops. Mail call whenever it happened it was a delight.” Paul Fussell talked about how important letter writing was during the war. Letters to and from were a lifeline for people. Soldiers during their correspondence also hid information from loved ones to protect their mental health. Aanenson, a soldier during WWII shared “I have purposely not told you much about my world over here, because I thought it might upset you. Perhaps that has been a mistake, so let me correct that right now. I still doubt if you will be able to comprehend it. I don’t think anyone can who has not been through it … I live in a world of death …” He later folded that letter up and didn’t send it to his girl because he knew it would break her heart or impact her mental health. It was not only a mental health impact on the soldiers but also the family, friends, and loved ones left behind. World War 2 caused so many mental illnesses whether they were on the battlefield or left at home waiting for their loved one.
These letters that were written through the brothers emphasize the importance of keeping in touch with loved ones. The letters that they wrote through war was the only way they would know what was going on with Frank. Coming back after war and not knowing your brother has schizophrenia would be a very hard idea to accept. Listening to how Frank’s letters change and evolve throughout the war shows how much mental health was a big part of the war. The content of the letters and tone both change and its unrecognizable that Frank was writing it. During World War II letters were a good indication of mental illness affecting soldiers.
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