Erwin shows up and kicks down all the borders. Today, he would be considered a very conservative person (in the better sense of the word), but at any time he would be a military free-thinker. Admittedly, that isn’t a very large envelope to push, but he did push it in his career, and ultimately in his life.
Military people can’t have political brains if they’re to be effective. That’s the civilian job. Military fights for borders and territory, and — traditionally — spoils.
A WWII American soldier told me he remembered being outright offered the world’s women if he fought. All those grateful French girls, conquered enemy girls, joyful American girls. I thought this was a bit far-fetched until I remembered the posters and pin-up girls. And the attitude of Marlon Brando’s character in “The Wild One.” And take a look at the position of the woman’s arms in THIS photo. You tell me.
