Aggressive and Erotic Tendencies in Army Life

Author(s): Henry Elkin

Source: American Journal of Sociology , Mar., 1946, Vol. 51, No. 5, Human Behavior in
Military Society (Mar., 1946), pp. 408-413
Published by: The University of Chicago Press

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 AGGRESSIVE AND EROTIC TENDENCIES IN ARMY LIFE'

HENRY ELKIN

ABSTRACT

Military life required the soldier to alter his values and self-image and imposed new restraints and occa-
sions for release. The soldier felt depreciated by the G.I. image and Army restraints and asserted himself by
negativism, as in "griping," and by aggression against foreigners as scapegoats. Military life also stimulated
the release of tensions repressed from childhood. Drinking, profanity, and concern with sex relieved the anxi-
eties created by the ideal of virility. Undifferentiated and homosexual erotic tendencies revealed by speech
and behavior must find socially approved release. Hence the soldier's egocentric disposition to women as
means of gratifying self-respect and primitive sensual impulses.

A prolonged stay in the Army, coming a value of his own self. In a society with a
a sharp break with civilian life, doubtless af- deeply rooted military tradition, where
fected the personalities of several million "soldier" is a model-image evoking respect
American men. As soldiers, they entered a and emulation, the individual typically gains
peculiar social organization which required self-respect and affirms the value of his per-
them to alter radically the images they had sonality by performing to his greatest abil-
of themselves and the values by which they ity the often-stereotyped tasks and routines
lived and which imposed restraints, and of- of military life. Such is not the case in mod-
fered occasions for the release of impulse and ern America, however, except among small
feeling, very different from any they had circles with military-school backgrounds.
previously known. We wish to consider American men in this war did not think of
briefly and in relation to characteristic themselves as "doughboys," "Tommies,"
features of American culture the manner in "Poilus," or even as "soldiers"-terms
which military life typically influenced which imply individual human qualities
values and self-images and provided new and positive values-but as "G.I.'s"; i.e.,
patterns of psychological repression and re- "Government Issue," each with a "dog-tag"
lease. around his neck. The individual soldier
A military organization, more than any thus saw himself as an item of mass-produc-
other social structure, can be adequately tion along with G.I. clothing, rations, and
defined by the concept of "bureaucracy," other materiel.
as the term is used by Max Weber, Talcott On the one hand, the soldier liked being
Parsons, and Karl Mannheim. The imper- a G.I. It was comforting to feel, in this
sonality characteristic of bureaucratic or- radically different kind of life which so often
ganization is so pronounced in a modern involved fear and danger, that his own self
army that the distinctive feature of the indi-
was submerged in the anonymity of the
vidual is not even his name but a serial mass. The role of G.I. made no undue de-
number. This does not necessarily mean that mands on individual virtue or responsibil-
the individual member loses a sense of the ity. Even if he continually bungled and be-
came a "sad sack," his fellows looked upon
I This article is based on about two years'
him with a kind of joking affection.
experience as a private and corporal, and eight
months' experience as a second lieutenant, in the On the other hand, the soldier inwardly
United States Army in North Africa, Italy, France,rebelled against this G.I. image of himself,
and Germany. The writer was greatly aided by the the hierarchic and often arbitrary system of
criticisms and suggestions of Frederick Elkin, who,
rank, and the slavelike performance of tasks
as a sergeant in the Army, spent over a year in the
United States and more than two years in England, that failed to satisfy his inner pride. Mili-
France, and Germany. tary regulations required him to perform his
408

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 AGGRESSIVE AND EROTIC TENDENCIES IN ARMY LIFE 409

duties in accordance with the meticulously griping came to be an earmark of social

detailed prescriptions laid down in a field solidarity. A soldier who might have dared
manual or, as he said, "by the numbers." to question a griping remark became a living
Military discipline required him to carry out threat to his companions' self-respect and
all orders given by superiors, whom he often automatically, as a heretic or traitor, placed
neither liked nor respected, immediately himself beyond the pale. Griping, moreover,
and without question. However, the more became an egocentric and almost standard
personal phases of life, such as his relations form of establishing social contact: when
with his fellows, remained uncontrolled. So, one G.I. met another, a griping remark
as soon as he found himself "off duty" or served as a kind of introduction, like talk
otherwise beyond the scope of rules and about the weather.3
regulations, the soldier characteristically One aspect of this negativism, whose ill-
felt supremely "free" and sought to release effect on international relations will remain
his impulses and feelings. This release was incalculable, is that our immediate allies be-
especially marked in everyday speech and came the primary scapegoat for the G.I.'s
conversation, and its distinguishing feature need for self-assertion. Just as the Germans,
was a general rebelliousness, expressed in servile and compliant in their own life, came
various shades of negativism, from mildly to feel strong and important by venting
cynical humor to scathing denunciation. their pent-up aggression on "inferior" Jews,
When positive, constructive force or ca- Poles, and Russians, so the G.I. "took it
pacities are lacking, a desire to express the out" on "damned Limeys" and "dirty
self usually manifests itself in negativism Frogs," but not, interestingly enough, on
and aggesssion.2 In the Army "griping" was the Germans and southern Italians who di-
the most typical manifestation of this tend- rectly gratified his self-esteem by behaving
ency; there was nothing either directly or toward him as a conqueror. A correspondent
indirectly related to the Army about which from China4 recently wrote that G.I. drivers
the G.I. did not gripe. Seldom, if ever, did go out of their way to splash mud on Chinese
such griping lead to suggestions, concerted trudging along the side of the road!
action, or protest, even where these might Whereas certain negative and aggressive
have proved effective. It remained verbal, tendencies may be primarily regarded as
and its function was purely psychological. reactions to the constraints imposed by
Griping and general negativism, in the first military organization and discipline, other
instance, were symbolic affirmations of inde- tendencies revealed in typical forms of Army
pendence and strength, showing that the speech and behavior show the release of im-
G.I. did not want to be considered a mere pulses and feelings that are far more deeply
cog in the Army machine. Then, as it be- rooted in the course of psychological de-
came an almost universal mechanism to as- velopment. The Army, by detaching the
suage and to hide an almost universal hurt, soldier from home, school, church, and
neighborhood, and, more generally, from
2 A commanding officer who sought to hide his
feminine influence and surroundings, loosed
weakness behind a mask of military gruffness and
rigidity (he would have worn a monocle had he been him from his previous social controls. And
a German) was pleased to place on his desk a pic- the characteristic military pattern that
ture of Donald Duck in stern, forbidding pose, sanctions in the "off-duty" sphere, the re-
superposed by a big, impressively drawn "NO!"
Such a man, whose natural reaction would be to 3 In the light of the impression these gripes, taken
submit to everything, obviously regarded "No" as out of their living context, would have made on the
an affirmation of independence and strength. And relatives and congressmen at home, it is clear that
unless the lower-ranking petitioner could gratify the military censor performed a necessary duty. Had
this officer's ego in some other way, his reply, ir- censorship not been lifted with victory, the return
respective of the objective value of the request, of overseas troops to the United States would surely
would be "No!" For the G.I., "griping" fulfilled a not have been effected at so fast a pace.
corresponding need. 4 Dixie Tighe, in the New York Post.

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 410 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

lease of rebellious feelings provoked while siderateness and grace to social intercourse.
"on duty," serves to open the gates for theThe cultural pattern associated with the
rebellious impulses and feelings that were ideal of virility is modified when social
repressed during the whole lifetime. (Hence expectations and the conditioning of erotic
the common judgment that rebellious tendencies require a positive attitude toward
youths who might otherwise turn to crimi- women; but, whatever the course of its later
nal ways, would be happy in, and adjusted development, this pattern remains rooted
to, the Army.) to the psychological conditions of -preado-
In the purely masculine surroundings of lescence.7
the Army, the values associated with the Drinking in the Army, as in civilian
ideal of virility play a determining role in life, was a symbol of virility and facilitated
molding the soldier's image of himself and the forgetting of the self and the release of
in creating his inner tensions and the chan- impulses to self-assertion and aggression.
nels for their release. A peculiar feature of (Drunken conviviality also served to relieve
American culture is that the ideal of virility the G.I.'s perennial boredom, even in places
is derived from the values that often prevail which for centuries have attracted tourists
in preadolescent gangs and play groups; from all over the world.) Although only a
e.g., lower-plass "toughness" as against small minority engaged in rowdyism and
upper-class "sissy" effeteness; defensive ir- fighting with Allied soldiers or civilians,
ritability rather than self-assurance; aggres- many a G.I. bragged of "breaking up the
siveness rather than reserve; self-assertive- joint" or of "beating hell out of a Frog"
ness rather than modesty; and impudence (while "stewed to the gills")-exploits that
rather than politeness.5 These values reflect happened only in his imagination. More
a characteristic source of anxiety in the lives often G.I.'s bragged of what they would do
of young American boys. Whereas their de- if attacked, robbed, etc., provocations whose
velopment in home and school is to a far likelihood they almost consciously exag-
greater degree molded by women, and is gerated in order to appear "tough." In fact,
far less distinct from that of young girls, the average G.I., though orderly himself,
than in any other country (coeducation and seemed to indulge vicariously in aggression
women teachers are nowhere as predomi- by identifying himself with the unruly
nant as in America), they must try to live minority. (This may explain why the mili-
up to social expectations which, far more tary police, still sensitive to the stigma at-
than those found elsewhere, require that tached to them after the last war, proceeded
(as "red-blooded American boys") they be-with hesitation and extreme tact against
have differently from girls. Hence they are rowdyism. Thus their role of scapegoat, in
impelled to adopt an image of manhood part, passed to the "damned foreigner.")
which, like all compensations for inade- The use of profanity, always an earmark
quacy, exaggerates and distorts the domi- of masculinity, was perhaps the most strik-
nant, aggressive quality that is a natural
sign of virility. And, in reaction to the etc., is "sissy." This plays a tremendous role in
"sissy" qualities which they seek to eradi- American culture: the more vigorous and secure
cate or conceal in themselves, they throw personalities tend to become businessmen, lawyers,
and engineers; whereas the "sissies" become the
over everything associated with femininity,
actors, writers, clergymen, and professors, a fact
especially the values which create disinter- which greatly determines the quality of intellectual
ested activities6 and those which lend con- and artistic production. The Boy Scout movement,
which aims to combine virile practices and moral
5 Cf. And Keep Your Powder Dry (published in standards, often evokes a negative response:
England as The American Character) (Pelican Books, "Boy Scout," like "sissy," is frequently pronounced
I944), by Margaret Mead, especially chap. ix, "The contemptuously.
Chip on the Shoulder."
7 Note the personalities of many model-images
6 In preadolescence everything "impractical" of Hollywood, Mickey Rooney, James Cagney, etc.,
like music, poetry, flowers, refined habits of reading, and of innumerable comic-strip heroes.

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 AGGRESSIVE AND EROTIC TENDENCIES IN ARMY LIFE 4II

ing feature of Army life: hardly a sentence profane term in question affirms that the
was spoken, and no exclamation was ut- G.I. now accepts biological reality, and his
tered, without at least one profane term. continual and exaggerated stress of this af-
Apart from expressing a general rebellious- firmation indicates that, when a child, this
ness, profanity most perfectly suggests that reality was a bitter one, almost too painful
the user is capable of asserting his will, using to accept.
his fists, drinking inordinate quantities of Another common form of profanity im-
alcohol, taking women in contemptuous, plies that the G.I. loses his early social con-
domineering stride, and engaging in such ditioning and again, as in early childhood,
other pursuits as are becoming to the virile overtly experiences a rich expressiveness in
American male. (The young Frenchman the eliminatory functions. The release of in-
proves his virility by the number of times testinal gases, for example, is never inhibited
he can make love in an evening.) And, fur- or taken as matter of fact but is made to
ther, by pronouncing those "dirty words" draw attention and invariably provokes
which he never dared to utter in the pres- joking comment. Amiable conversation is
ence of "Mom" or his old-maid school- "shooting the s-." Bragging or lying is
teachers, the G.I. symbolically throws off "throwing the s . A G.I. who vents
the shackles of the matriarchy in which he anger "p- off his mouth." The practice
grew up. of prolonging latrine functions (implied in
The profane term that most clearly ex- the not uncommon admonition, "S- or
presses this swaggering masculinity and get off the pot" to mean "stop dawdling"),
revengeful, contemptuous (and defensive) and making them into occasions for social
attitude toward women is doubtless the conviviality, as well as common expressions
most commonly used word (as noun, verb, such as "I just had a wonderful s ," sug-
adjective, adverb, and expletive) in the gest that the Army Medical Corps might
United States and British armies. In Anglo- profitably have investigated the role of
Saxon popular culture, molded by Puritan- psychological factors in the continual and
ism, this term suggests that the sexual act epidemic occurrence of diarrhea (the "G.I.
can only be "dirty" and animalistic; and, in S- 5 ) 8
keeping with a more nearly universal con- Other profane expressions refer to the
ception, it suggests that, whereas these posterior, after the manner of "heart" or
qualities do not reflect ill on the male by "brain," as symbolic of the person. Among
virtue of his dominant and casual role, they the most common are, "Get your a over
ineradicably contaminate and degrade the here" (come here); "to shag a " (hurry);
human female. Thus children in Anglo- "a -chewing" (bawling-out); "It's my
Saxon cultures are invariably shocked when a " (I'm held responsible); "My a
they are told that their own mothers did will weep for you" (I'll be sorry for you);
such "dirty things" and that they them- "to tangle a holes" (argue or fight); and
selves, in a literal sense, were "conceived in "a hole buddies" (close pals). These ex-
sin." This abrupt confrontation with brutal pressions bring to mind such apparently
reality is, doubtless, often a traumatic ex- dissimilar practices as "goosing" and the
perience resulting in feelings of contempt for wearing of pants too tight for comfort and
the self; hidden contempt for, or overt and reflect a vital concern with the only major
undue sympathy and attachment to, the erogenous portion of the human anatomy
mother (who was "forced to submit"); and that does not distinguish male from female.
a general pessimism and cynicism toward a The fact that women as well as sexual inter-
universe in which life itself is the outcome
of brutality and sin-a psychological com- 8 The writer had the opportunity to note over
a long period that diarrhea (like psychoneurosis)
plex that can be shown to have had tre-
was relatively uncommon in the French army,
mendous implications for the development
despite the fact that, by the United States Army
of modern civilization. Hence, the use of the sanitary conditions were shockingly bad.
standards,

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 4I2 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

course, both praiseworthy erotic references, between "pals."", This highly sanctioned
are commonly termed "piece of a " re- eroticism suggests the direction for active
veals the primary function of this profanity: release of the tensions provoked by the
"a -" is the most suitable term for ex- intimate masculine contact in Army life.
pressing asocial and indeterminate erotic "Women-chasing" thus became a distin-
tendencies in a socially approved form. guishing feature of the G.I.'s reputation
By American standards of virility, homo- wherever he went.
sexuality is repellent and was unconsciously Prostitution overseas had a very un-
repressed in Army life. Although there was settling influence on the typical G.I. Where-
continual joking about homosexual prac- as at home the mere "going out" with girls
tices, there was an apparent total lack of often was enough to prove his virility, even
awareness of homosexual attitudes and in- to himself, he had now to reach the ultimate
clinations, such as were extremely wide- limit of physical intimacy, as was offered
spread in a latent, and not uncommon in a to him cheaply and at every hand. The G.I.
practiced, but verbally unadmitted, state. thought that his avidity for such pleasures
This contrast between blindness to the -in the simple physical terms in which he
reality and concern with the idea doubtless had been taught to regard such matters-
implies strong tendencies and equally strong was a result of "sex starvation." It could
repressions.9 Certain features of American more rightly be claimed that separation
eroticism throw light on the prevalence of from the opposite sex, as in normal ascetic
these tendencies and the manner in which practices, would abate desire by removing
they are directed into socially approved outer stimuli. A starving man, moreover,
channels. The pin-up girl, for example, is would not take delight in viewing exag-
often distorted to maximize the proportions geratedly appetizing "pin-ups" of his favor-
of the upper torso and lower extremities, ite foods. Pin-up girls, in fact, probably
suggestive of boyishness and activity, and served less for individual enjoyment than as
to minimize those middle portions which are occasions for the social affirmation of viril-
more distinctively feminine and expressive ity, by virtue of the public display and ap-
of a passive role.Io (If her breasts were re- proval they were invariably accorded. Simi-
moved, it would often be difficult to know larly, a connection with a woman, however
whether she were a boy or girl.) Often her shabby and perfunctory, was recounted in
demeanor is vigorously active, and her an adventurous spirit and in terms that
facial expression suggests that she neither never failed to do credit to the subject's
attaches great importance nor responds to virile capacities.I2
intimacies with all-absorbing intensity and
II "In all neurotics we find without exception in
voluptuousness (characteristic of the more the unconscious psychic life feelings of inversion and
traditional eroticism which, in a feminine fixation of libido on persons of the same sex"
version, still seems to appeal to the women (Sigmund Freud, Three Contributions to the Theory
of Sex-["Modern Library"] p. 575). Many writers
who read the perfume ads) but regards
have set forth the view that modern culture breeds
them as amusingly incidental bits of "fun"
widespread neurosis. The manifestations of latent
9 The term "sissy," by reason of having acquired homosexuality in this culture, however, have
homosexual implications, was significantly absent scarcely been treated.
from the soldiers' vocabulary. After inspecting his 12 The writer spent many months, in several
enlisted men's quarters, an officer praised an ex- countries, in intimate contact with French and
tremely effeminate G.I. who took delight in the North African Moslem troops. The French typically
meticulous arrangement of his belongings as "the spoke far less about sex and stressed the personality
best damned soldier in the outfit." The other sol- of women far more than did the Americans. The
diers disagreed with this verdict but saw nothing Moslem's appreciation of sex, however, strikingly
funny in it! resembles the G.I.'s, except that the Moslem had
10 These portions are emphasized in the "bumps," fewer inhibitions. This similarity recalled to the
popular in burlesque shows, but attribute to femi- observer his findings among the Arapaho Indians
ninity a gesture that is expressive of masculinity! (cf. Acculturation in Seven American Indian Tribes,

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 AGGRESSIVE AND EROTIC TENDENCIES IN ARMY LIFE 4I3

Fundamentally, the G.I. did not like or to sex was as direct and casual as his own.
desire women other than as means of grati- He believed that she engaged in her work
fying his self-respect and his primitive sexual mainly because she "liked it" and that her
desire. He commonly referred to women by taking money only did credit to her prac-
the profane term for vagina and treated tical sense. And, in view of his own uncertain
them all, even when there could be no inclinations, he did not tend to regard her
ground for confusion, with a degree of intimacies with other men as especially de-
bluntness and indiscrimination that did not grading. On a number of occasions, G.I.'s
help to foster international good-will and were heard to remark that, had they been
understanding.I3 To many a G.I., however, women, they, too, would have been prosti-
such behavior did not imply disrespect. He tutes. In the light of this behavior it was
simply viewed all women in terms of youth, not surprising that G.I.'s would show a
surface appearance, and willing aptitude; marked preference for German girls, who
and frequently he regarded the prostitute typically combine free and easy habits with
with special affection, because, unlike other an uncritical appreciation of everything
women who often were formal and reserved, masculine.'4
she had the friendly smile and democratic Despite the fact that Army life tends to
ways which he had been accustomed to ex- bring out primitive aspects of personality
pect in social life. Since his own disposition and that speech difficulties in foreign lands
to sexual matters was so thoroughly ego- hinder the development of more refined
centric, he more readily, in fact, identified sentiments toward women, it may stil be
himself with the prostitute. Her approach inferred from typical forms of Army speech
and behavior that a very large proportion
ed. Ralph Linton [New York: Appleton-Century of American men have never developed
Co., I940]) and has led him to conclude that the
beyond childhood stages of emotional ex-
"natural" disposition toward sex can be reduced to
perience and display strong anxieties and
a phallus seeking to enter a recipient object. Puritan
and Islamic asceticism, by de-spiritualizing the excessive reactions when they are expected
erotic, succeeded in reducing its intensity and to live by psychologically mature standards.
scope but caused it to revert to the "natural." More broadly, it may be inferred that the
If animals could talk, their conversation about sex
prevailing eroticism in American culture
would doubtless be quite similar to that of the Mos-
lems, Arapahos, and G.I.'s. Note the comic successfully directs male erotic impulse to-
strips widely circulated in Army publication, "The ward female objects but fails to cultivate
Wolf," in which the G.I., drawn with a literal this impulse to an appreciation of a mature
wolf-, or "dogface," is continually trying to "make"
feminine ideal, either directly, by reflecting
women, and "Male Call," in which the G.I.'s are
reduced to blithering frenzy by the charms of
a synthesis of physical and spiritual values,
femilline anatomy. Also note that the term "wolf" or indirectly, by reflecting a limited porno-
and its derivations, with pleasant and rather flatter- graphic interest. On the contrary, this
ing connotations, have made their way into the eroticism, by seeking to portray a feminine
national vocabulary!
ideal in terms of pure materiality-an image
13 The populations of North Africa and Europe
of ideal femininity as portrayed in a bathing
quickly became familiar with the mercantile ways of
suit is a unique cultural phenomenon-
their democratic liberators who went about offering
specific quantities of cigarettes, chocolate, C-rations, directs the appreciation of femininity itself
etc., not only for money but "in trade." Such meth- into the form of primitive erotic experience.
ods were particularly effective in famine-stricken
ATLANTIC CITY, NEw JERSEY
areas, such as the Naples region in I943-44, and
invariably brought results to those hardheaded and
enterprising G.I.'s who operated on the basis of 14 This latter quality seems also to have char-
statistical probability. Soldiers were made keenly acterized many English girls. The writer spent only
resentful by reports that Negro troops, by virtue a very brief period in England and bases his observa-
of belonging to the Quartermaster Corps, enjoyed tions mainly on his North African and continental
an often prodigious advantage in such "trade." European experience.

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