World War II: A Letter from the Battlefront

U.S Army Base Camp,
Berlin, Germany
May 1, 1945

Dear Father,
I am truly sorry I haven’t written you yet. I am fully aware it has been over a week since my departure for Berlin, but you mustn’t be mad. The generals are merciless. If possible, they would have us working into the night on no food or drink. I get the equivalent of one portion of grandmother’s lasagna to last me the whole day. Mind you, the quality is not nearly as great. The food we are supplied with is stale, causing my stomach pain. I guess I shouldn't’t complain because I know other armies are worse off than ours. Even though we get the enough rations to sustain us, I am aware that others get less. So, I am holding my high. But, the constant work load does not help our situation. With just enough food to survive, we carry on traveling to different parts of the city, killing more people than I could have imagined. Not that I have any war experience prior to this, but I do believe this will go down in history as one of the bloodiest battles in history. I won’t go into detail on this matter however because I would not like to upset you.
To reassure of the good this war is bringing us, I decided that you might like an update on the progress of the war. A lot has happened in my short time here father. I arrived in the beginning of the Battle of Berlin on April 20th. Since then many events have taken place. We, the U.S troops, met the Soviets at Torgau, on the Elbe River in northwestern Saxony, Germany. Our leaders came back to us, reaffirming the plan to destroy the Third Reich. Shortly after that, Benito Mussolini was captured and on April 28th, he was executed. I know it was the death of a man, but it brought many people freedom from a fascist dictator. We were expecting that this would bring even more change, and it certainly did. The very next day, April 29th, the Dachau concentration camp was liberated by our troops. This was the first concentration camp opened in Germany, causing great relief too many inhibitors. Soon after, it was clear that Soviets were taking control of Berlin. On April 30th, the Soviet flag was raised over the Reichstag in Berlin. On that very day, Adolf Hitler committed suicide by gunshot and poison. I cannot say for sure, but he might have seen his awaiting fate when he came upon that Soviet flag, and decided he best end his life for himself. A just today, Grand Admiral Doenitz took command of Germany. I suppose it won’t be long before the German troops surrender in Italy, and Berlin fall under Soviet control. It appears our work may be done; meaning I will see you that much sooner.
I can already see relief on the faces of soldiers, feel the decrease in work load, and experience the pure joy of this moment. This is why I felt it was time to write you, knowing that you would appreciate the good news. Although I do wonder that by killing these enemies we have made for ourselves, have I truly brought peace to our nation? When I signed up for this job, I thought I would be helping more than harming. I do try to do right by you and my country. But why does serving our country result in the death of others?
Your loving son,
Benjamin Wright

Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Berlin