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Comment by s_baby | Hacker News Reader

What about women? Mother's in Nazi Germany sent their sons off to war with proud smiles on their faces.

The article is written from an American perspective: War is something happening far from home and the participants are men in the military, which (if they survive) may return to peace and safety after service have ended.

The perspective is very different when war is happening in your own country, where victims are not just trained military personnel. Neither men nor women love the war that destroy your home and livelihood and kills your parents or children.

I don't think that's really the same thing. The essay is talking specifically about the experience of war; the experience of being engaged in battle. Which isn't something a mother sending her son off to war would experience. (She's definitely taking a risk and engaging in an emotional experience, just of a different kind.)

There are women who have experienced battle first hand, of course, but since until very recently combat was effectively a male-only experience there aren't a lot of stories from their perspective. (Yet.)

>What about women?

I wonder the same, and more specifically, about women who have been in war.

Oh yes, there is not enough about it. Maybe women have note been part of the military for long enough, or maybe its because they censor themselves more than men, and would never admit to enjoy fighting. I only remember that in Vietnam, the strong advice was given to kill the female enemies first, for they would fight much more furiously and with less fear than the men.

Also, there was a study (sorry, I'll try to find the source) that male bonding behaviour is disturbed when there are women present, due to the implicit rivalry. I suspect thats a reason why women weren't allowed to join the military for a long time. Also I guess the heightened libido in war might lead to problems there.

I'd be very interested in how these things worked for the mixed sex armies in the Israeli wars, any links highly appreciated.

> Oh yes, there is not enough about it. Maybe women have note been part of the military for long enough

I can't speak for most of the world, but I believe the USA only started allowing women into direct combat roles in 2013. So there's certainly not enough data here [for the USA].

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_military#Policy_ch...

> What about women? Mother's in Nazi Germany sent their sons off to war with proud smiles on their faces.

Is that true? I would have guessed that most mothers, everywhere, do not want their own sons in war.

Yes this is historical fact. People(fathers AND mothers) will put their nation, religion, ethnicity, etc... before their own family. This preconception that motherhood transcends all these identities is why I felt compelled to respond to the title. Look at war mongering politicians in your country and see what the gender breakdown in support is. It's mostly even if it's like mine(US).

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