Neal Stephenson – Cryptonomicon
3. Seegras (48–70)
Anfang Dezember 1941. Die Amerikaner verlassen Schanghai, wo Bobby Shaftoe die
Haiku-Kunst von einem japanischen Soldaten namens Goto Dengo gelernt hat. Sein
"erster Haiku (Dezember 1940) war eine rasche, schmutzige Adaption des
Glaubensbekenntnisses der Marines:
Das ist mein Gewehr
Es gibt viele davon noch.
Dieses gehört mir.
(51)
Dieses Motto der modernen Kriegerkaste der US–Marines existiert
tatsächlich und hat in der Tat den quasireligiösen Charakter, den der
Begriff "Glaubensbekenntnis" suggeriert:
THIS IS MY RIFLE.
There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my
best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.
My rifle, without me is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my
rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I
must shoot him before he shoots me. I will....
My rifle and myself know that what counts in war is not the rounds we fire, the
noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that
count. We will hit....
My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a
brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories,
its sights and its barrel. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather
and damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready.
We will become part of each other. We will....
Before God I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my
country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life.
So be it, until there is no enemy, but Peace!
—
THE CREED OF THE UNITED STATES MARINES
Shaftoes Einheit wird nach Manila versetzt, wo Bobby die Nacht vom 7. auf
den 8. Dezember mit seiner Freundin Glory verbringt:
"Es ist Krieg, Baby," sagt er.
(70)
weitere Shaftoe-Kapitel:
Prolog
–
7. Brand
–
9. Guadalcanal
–
11. Albtraum
–
15. Fleisch
–
17. In den Lüften
–
24. Echse
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