James Carlson

I am grateful to have been able to watch the complete film. Last year about the same time I saw only the last part of it and currently I saw it was on BYU (Brigham Young University) and watched the entire film. Very worthwhile -- it reminds me about the effect of war (in this case WWII in a nazi-occupied country) and the influence it has on lives of those who must endure various phases of wars. I served in Vietnam 1969-70 and know how that one year had many influences on my life when I returned and struggled for many years in trying to re-adapt to returning and attempts at re-integrating into what my life was prior to being sent to Vietnam in the Army. I continue to try to re-integrate around this time of the year too as in Christmas leave in 1968 when I was home and ultimately was sent in February or March in 1968. My initial orders stated being assigned to Germany and around Christmas received changes sending me to Vietnam. Currently (and since returning in 1970) I isolate from being around people and activities as the depression returns and generally extends through New Years Day will begin to "live" and get out of that depression. I have never been able to escape these feelings from Thanksgiving on thru New Years as it is difficult to think of much else. PTSD-- years of therapy and it continues . Now 79 do not believe I will ever get out of this cycle. Veterans of ALL WARS have changed in so many ways and are very challenged in trying to re-adapt when returning.{1 In viewing this film in the scenes of Germany during the WWII nazi control -- I do not believe that very young people do not understand or appreciate how civilians living in Germany endured their daily lives in those dreadful years1. History has not been taught to those now approaching early ages of 45 to 50 years of age and are very ignorant of what happens in war's. And they will NEVER, as I believe, they will never get these perspectives from cell phones that many cannot get away from. **** Other than in watching films such as "THE BOOK THIEF" can one even try to observe and possibly "understand" how war influences all who cannot even begin to see how war changes lives. I strongly encourage all to watch this film as a starting point of understanding the effects of war on those directly involved in them and from the perspectives of those who have served in them. The effects are devastating.