My Perspective on War
Before World War II many Jews fled to the U.S. in escape of Hitler and the Nazis. During the years 1933-1939 there were many Jewish refugees that were helped by U.S. soldiers. In Germany many Jews were killed and , men, women, and children. This is the story of an american girl who meets a Jewish refugee in the U.S.

I remember the cold air bite into my sore fingers and into my chilly body even under many layers of clothes. It was mid-December as I slowly walked home from a terrible day at school. I hated war. It was friday, I remember I liked taking a walk on the beach after school on my way home, it relaxed me, but this particular day felt different…I was everything but relaxed, I could feel the strong tension, and to this day I don't know what it was. That’s when it happened. I saw it, I was confused but I knew that it was there, I couldn't change it but it would change who I was… forever. It was quite large,wooden and I had never seen anything like it, noises, sick noises came from it. I knew the voices were sick but i knew that they were relieved too.

It was a boat. A little boy, around my age, I think walked out of the boat with a bright red nose, wide eyes and a gentle frown on his face. But there was something about him that was different that everyone I knew, I couldn’t quite tell what it was though. Then he looked at me and I quickly pretended to look away, as he slowly turned his face to the ground and a tear rolled down his cheek, he looked ashamed. Then I noticed he was different because he was wearing something on his thin shirt. It was torn, but I think it looked like a star. I decided I would walk up to him.
“Hi, what’s your name?’’ I asked. He looked away, but I insisted. “what’s your name”
“BOOM” I heard a gunshot. I rapidly took his hand and ran. I didn’t know I could be so fast, but I was scared, my blood dropped to my feet and my heart sunk. When I felt we were safe I looked at the boy and I think he knew I was confused. “The Nazis”he whispered as tears poured down his face “They killed her…..my mother” he whispered “I didn’t know they were in our ship” he sadly whispered “I will never see her again.” he whispered. Thats when it hit me and i understood as a tear ran down my cheek, i just couldn’t even imagine life without my mother. “But why” I murmured “Cruelty, they’re cruel!” he exclaimed. That was the first time I ever heard him use a loud voice, and oddly it scared me. “I hate war” he said to me quietly.

Later some soldiers came and they took all who could escape the Nazis to refugee camps. We peeked out the bushes and one of the officials saw us and took the little boy. He looked up to him scared but I know that he relaxed because he could see in the official’s eyes that he was there to help. I don’t know what it was but something told me he was a kind person. As the little boy left said “Jakob”, I knew he was telling me his name. Then I continued to walk home, the air was still chilly and could could feel the cold breeze from the ocean in my face, the strong wind blew through my two long braids as little hairs flew out. My hair made me giggle, then I realized that it was the first time I had giggles this whole week. “I hate war.” I told myself quietly.
When I arrived home I found my mom in the kitchen making dinner. She told me to join the dinner table, dinner was ready. That night my family had enough to eat. The warm, fluffy rolls and hot stew really warmed up my cold body. As I went to bed that night i talked about Jakob to my mom. She comfortingly ran her fingers through my hair back and forth. Then tears just burst out of my eyes. “mom, Jakob doesn't have a mom any more, they killed her” i cried. Then my mother said, “There are things going on in the world that you are too young to understand now but as you grow it will get better” I just could not stop crying and as I fell asleep that night, I thought, I hate war. Suddenly a thought jerked me awake!! “Did Jakob have enough to eat tonight?” I asked my self out loud. Then I didn’t even notice when I fell asleep.
The next morning I woke up and my mother asked me to go down to the field to collect some grains for breakfast. I then remembered that Jakob might not have enough to eat, I knew my family needed it but I knew he needed it more so i stuck a piece of bread into my pocket. As I headed to the field I was frightened by all the soldiers marching in troops down the town. When I arrived at the field I collected the grains as quickly as I could so I would have time to visit Jakob. I finally finished but then I realized I didn’t know where Jakob had gone. Then I remembered There was a refugee camp next to my school where I had seen some children. I went there as fast as I could and when I arrived, to my luck, Jakob was there and he ran toward me with a huge smile. Sadly, the smile quickly faded into a frown, I gave him the bread and he ate it in a matter of seconds. It was almost as if he had not eaten in days. Soldiers were coming and I was terrified of them but for some reason Jakob didn’t seem to be bothered by them then, I said”See you at the beach at noon.” The last thing I saw was a quick nod and a goodbye wave.
I ran as fast as I could home that way my mother wouldn’t suspect anything about the bread. I arrived home a my mother gave me a warm kiss in the forehead, it didn’t feel good lying to her but I had to. Later me and my mother went down to the creek near our house and we washed our clothes. Soon it was noon and I remembered I had to go meet Jakob at the beach. When I arrived at the beach he was there . We talked and talked he said that american soldiers were alot nice than soldiers back in Poland, or as he called them Nazis. He says the killed many people just because they were Jewish. Then I realized how lucky I was that the american soldiers were helping all these people back in Germany and refugees here. Now I learned to appreciate the soldiers . “The United States are a wonderful place” I told Jakob. Then that the last thing I remember.
Epilogue: Today Jakob is still my best friend and the Nazis have been stopped. I’m glad war is over.