War Memories (2020) - Sharing War Memories: From the Military to the Civilian

Civilians learn about past and distant wars through the narratives built on them and through the images produced either by the military themselves or by news reporters embedded with them or following in their footsteps. Journalistic records often frame the understanding of war by shining light on repressed events, illuminating the conflicts or the complicity between civilian witnesses and military agents. From winning the ‘hearts and minds' of the indigenous populations to using derogatory names that denigrate the enemy, military strategies affect the gaze of the military on the ‘Other'. Humanitarian groups approach war with a different goal in mind; their representations of the war emphasize the dangers for civilian populations trapped by an ongoing conflict and reintroduce human concerns when war technology erases them. The case of civilian hostages is of particular relevance in this context. Moreover, the narratives of wars are subject to adjustments, orientations and points of view that give a particular flavour to wars fought by the populations (anonymously and/or hidden in an organisation, secret or not) and by the military (from high command to the ‘unknown soldier'). The narratives of wars evolve with the benefit of hindsight, the writing of history textbooks and the constant (re)interpretations of archives (new or not) and the official version one country wants to put forward according to political agendas and visions of patriotism. The narratives of wars vary with the context and the need for men and women to express their inner feelings when faced with the torments and human atrocities of war, they also reflect the place of individuals within the group and the issues of group cohesiveness.