Short story, dystopian military kills new recruits
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This was in a forgotten anthology I read maybe thirty years ago.
A new recruit on day one of his compulsory military service, he writes home telling his parents (mom) about some of the things such as a barber's tent with an actual striped pole outside where they all get their heads shaved, I think he then describes a greasy meal (not sure about that) but then he says he has to go on parade.
He is a bit confused about when he left home at the train station because his mother was sobbing hysterically and his trembling father was muttering something like "When I was a youngster a war was a real war, goddamn government"
They line up and 'Sergeant Grizzled Veteran' comes out and snarls at them about the four things a good soldier should be.
He lists these as disciplined and ### and ### and dead.
He then outlines what he means by disciplined and the next two items, while he does this some trucks pull up beside the ranks.
Suddenly machine guns protrude from the trucks and a hail of bullets slaughter all the rookies.
Sergeant smiles sadistically and says "And that's what I mean by being dead"
story-identification short-stories
asked 22 hours ago
DannyMcGDannyMcG
2,71822778
add a comment |
This was in a forgotten anthology I read maybe thirty years ago.
A new recruit on day one of his compulsory military service, he writes home telling his parents (mom) about some of the things such as a barber's tent with an actual striped pole outside where they all get their heads shaved, I think he then describes a greasy meal (not sure about that) but then he says he has to go on parade.
He is a bit confused about when he left home at the train station because his mother was sobbing hysterically and his trembling father was muttering something like "When I was a youngster a war was a real war, goddamn government"
They line up and 'Sergeant Grizzled Veteran' comes out and snarls at them about the four things a good soldier should be.
He lists these as disciplined and ### and ### and dead.
He then outlines what he means by disciplined and the next two items, while he does this some trucks pull up beside the ranks.
Suddenly machine guns protrude from the trucks and a hail of bullets slaughter all the rookies.
Sergeant smiles sadistically and says "And that's what I mean by being dead"
story-identification short-stories
asked 22 hours ago
DannyMcGDannyMcG
2,71822778
I'm confused. Was there any indication why they did this to their new recruits?
– Valorum
22 hours ago
1
No, not that I remember , maybe just population control?. There might be a reason if we find the story
– DannyMcG
22 hours ago
1
Other than your general impression that it was "dystopian", is there anything you can remember about it that was actually on-topic for the site?
– Valorum
21 hours ago
1
Well it was set in a society where the government (USA because his letter said 'dear mom" has just been remembered) had an established procedure for machine gunning loads of young men . Also I remember more info now about his father that I'll add to the question.
– DannyMcG
21 hours ago
Also it was deffo a science fiction anthology I read this in...the only short story anthologies I ever get
– DannyMcG
20 hours ago
add a comment |
This was in a forgotten anthology I read maybe thirty years ago.
A new recruit on day one of his compulsory military service, he writes home telling his parents (mom) about some of the things such as a barber's tent with an actual striped pole outside where they all get their heads shaved, I think he then describes a greasy meal (not sure about that) but then he says he has to go on parade.
He is a bit confused about when he left home at the train station because his mother was sobbing hysterically and his trembling father was muttering something like "When I was a youngster a war was a real war, goddamn government"
They line up and 'Sergeant Grizzled Veteran' comes out and snarls at them about the four things a good soldier should be.
He lists these as disciplined and ### and ### and dead.
He then outlines what he means by disciplined and the next two items, while he does this some trucks pull up beside the ranks.
Suddenly machine guns protrude from the trucks and a hail of bullets slaughter all the rookies.
Sergeant smiles sadistically and says "And that's what I mean by being dead"
story-identification short-stories
asked 22 hours ago
DannyMcGDannyMcG
2,71822778
This was in a forgotten anthology I read maybe thirty years ago.
A new recruit on day one of his compulsory military service, he writes home telling his parents (mom) about some of the things such as a barber's tent with an actual striped pole outside where they all get their heads shaved, I think he then describes a greasy meal (not sure about that) but then he says he has to go on parade.
He is a bit confused about when he left home at the train station because his mother was sobbing hysterically and his trembling father was muttering something like "When I was a youngster a war was a real war, goddamn government"
They line up and 'Sergeant Grizzled Veteran' comes out and snarls at them about the four things a good soldier should be.
He lists these as disciplined and ### and ### and dead.
He then outlines what he means by disciplined and the next two items, while he does this some trucks pull up beside the ranks.
Suddenly machine guns protrude from the trucks and a hail of bullets slaughter all the rookies.
Sergeant smiles sadistically and says "And that's what I mean by being dead"
story-identification short-stories
story-identification short-stories
asked 22 hours ago
DannyMcGDannyMcG
2,71822778
asked 22 hours ago
DannyMcGDannyMcG
2,71822778
edited 20 hours ago
DannyMcG
asked 22 hours ago
DannyMcGDannyMcG
2,71822778
asked 22 hours ago
DannyMcGDannyMcG
2,71822778
asked 22 hours ago
DannyMcGDannyMcG
2,71822778
2,71822778
I'm confused. Was there any indication why they did this to their new recruits?
– Valorum
22 hours ago
1
No, not that I remember , maybe just population control?. There might be a reason if we find the story
– DannyMcG
22 hours ago
1
Other than your general impression that it was "dystopian", is there anything you can remember about it that was actually on-topic for the site?
– Valorum
21 hours ago
1
Well it was set in a society where the government (USA because his letter said 'dear mom" has just been remembered) had an established procedure for machine gunning loads of young men . Also I remember more info now about his father that I'll add to the question.
– DannyMcG
21 hours ago
Also it was deffo a science fiction anthology I read this in...the only short story anthologies I ever get
– DannyMcG
20 hours ago
add a comment |
I'm confused. Was there any indication why they did this to their new recruits?
– Valorum
22 hours ago
1
No, not that I remember , maybe just population control?. There might be a reason if we find the story
– DannyMcG
22 hours ago
1
Other than your general impression that it was "dystopian", is there anything you can remember about it that was actually on-topic for the site?
– Valorum
21 hours ago
1
Well it was set in a society where the government (USA because his letter said 'dear mom" has just been remembered) had an established procedure for machine gunning loads of young men . Also I remember more info now about his father that I'll add to the question.
– DannyMcG
21 hours ago
Also it was deffo a science fiction anthology I read this in...the only short story anthologies I ever get
– DannyMcG
20 hours ago
I'm confused. Was there any indication why they did this to their new recruits?
– Valorum
22 hours ago
I'm confused. Was there any indication why they did this to their new recruits?
– Valorum
22 hours ago
1
1
No, not that I remember , maybe just population control?. There might be a reason if we find the story
– DannyMcG
22 hours ago
No, not that I remember , maybe just population control?. There might be a reason if we find the story
– DannyMcG
22 hours ago
1
1
Other than your general impression that it was "dystopian", is there anything you can remember about it that was actually on-topic for the site?
– Valorum
21 hours ago
Other than your general impression that it was "dystopian", is there anything you can remember about it that was actually on-topic for the site?
– Valorum
21 hours ago
1
1
Well it was set in a society where the government (USA because his letter said 'dear mom" has just been remembered) had an established procedure for machine gunning loads of young men . Also I remember more info now about his father that I'll add to the question.
– DannyMcG
21 hours ago
Well it was set in a society where the government (USA because his letter said 'dear mom" has just been remembered) had an established procedure for machine gunning loads of young men . Also I remember more info now about his father that I'll add to the question.
– DannyMcG
21 hours ago
Also it was deffo a science fiction anthology I read this in...the only short story anthologies I ever get
– DannyMcG
20 hours ago
Also it was deffo a science fiction anthology I read this in...the only short story anthologies I ever get
– DannyMcG
20 hours ago
add a comment |
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I'm confused. Was there any indication why they did this to their new recruits?
– Valorum
22 hours ago
1
No, not that I remember , maybe just population control?. There might be a reason if we find the story
– DannyMcG
22 hours ago
1
Other than your general impression that it was "dystopian", is there anything you can remember about it that was actually on-topic for the site?
– Valorum
21 hours ago
1
Well it was set in a society where the government (USA because his letter said 'dear mom" has just been remembered) had an established procedure for machine gunning loads of young men . Also I remember more info now about his father that I'll add to the question.
– DannyMcG
21 hours ago
Also it was deffo a science fiction anthology I read this in...the only short story anthologies I ever get
– DannyMcG
20 hours ago