What did Private Kenny do? Did he do something that was expected of him or was it an extraordinary act?
From the military response, it appears that the army thinks that the act was ordinary. It is a general expectation that 'one for all, all for one' applies in the military unit context but sacrificing one's life for the sake of others is a big step away from marching in tandem and sharing food. (Perhaps that's the army I’m used to). Was there any other soldier that tried to do the same? Would they have contemplated doing the same for the fellow brothers-in-arms? I don't know. Someone told me that Private Kenny shouldn’t be rewarded but punished (shock and horror) because he acted out of instruction. There apparently shouldn’t be any place for free thought or action in the army, not without permission.
But then what kind of act would deserve the Victoria Cross? Would all previous awards be in vain or less worthy?
To a civilian, Private Kenny's act of bravery ranks among the superlative without doubt. One man saving the lives of many in a superogatory act is a one-in-a-million occurrence, something worth immortalizing in film. But then a civilian would likely apply a less demanding set of expectations to the situation. Indeed then Kenny deserves the Victoria Cross!
In a war, circumstances are different and maybe the sense of valour is stronger, even kneejerkish. In a state of reactive panic I am assuming, Private Kenny did the right thing. It may not have been the smartest thing because a life, his life, was lost but we'll not know the circumstances and conditions in place at the time and place of the unfortunate incident. The death of one to save many is noble and heroic by any standards.
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3 comments:
Just do the right thing.
To the owner of this blog, how far youve come?
Honestly I'm not sure you fully read the story. One of the largest points in this hypothetical situation is that Private Kenny would have died anyway! The fact is that Private Kenny would have been killed by the explosion even if he had not jumped on the bomb.
I hate to be rash, but this really knocks most of your argument to the ground. The basic concept of the story is not that Kenny risked his life for the sake of others, but that he shrunk the death rate of that event from all of his comrades in that area to simply himself.
Basically I'm trying to say that there was no sacrifice of Private Kenny because he would have died anyway.
There is the question of why was kenny the only soldier to shield the grenade? This is a question I am too tired right now to contemplate, but I am looking forward to your or someone else's reply...
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