Two Military Executions
"Two Military Executions" is a short story by Ambrose Bierce that tells the tale of two soldiers who are executed for their crimes during wartime. The story is set in an unspecified time and place, and it explores themes of justice, morality, and the harsh realities of war. Through the use of vivid imagery and a straightforward narrative style, Bierce creates a powerful and thought-provoking work that lingers long after the final sentence has been read.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1894 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Military Fiction, Short Stories Collection · 980 words
First lines
IN the spring of the year 1862 General Buell's big army lay in camp, licking itself into shape for the campaign which resulted in the victory at Shiloh. It was a raw, untrained army, although some of its fractions had seen hard enough service, with a good deal of fighting, in the mountains of Western Virginia, and in Kentucky. The war was young and soldiering a new industry, imperfectly understood by the young American of the period, who found some features of it not altogether to his liking. Chief among these was that essential part of discipline, subordination. To one imbued from infancy with the fascinating fallacy that all men are born equal, unquestioning submission to authority is not easily mastered, and the American volunteer soldier in his "green and salad days" is among the worst known. That is how it happened that one of Buell's men, Private Bennett Story Greene, committed the indiscretion of striking his officer.
What this Textopian page supports
Two Military Executions is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Military Fiction, Short Stories Collection, Drama
- Length: 980 words
- Structure: 1 section, 28 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Two Military Executions by Ambrose Bierce
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- The Massacre by Ambrose Bierce
- At The National Encampment by Ambrose Bierce
- An Arrest by Ambrose Bierce
- A Coward by Ambrose Bierce
- The Bosss Choice by Ambrose Bierce
- Three Recruits by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Historical Fiction — The book deals with events that are inspired from history pertaining to the military, making it fall under the 'Historical Fiction' genre.
- Military Fiction — The book deals with themes and events pertaining to the military, thus falling under the 'Military Fiction' category.
- Short Stories Collection — The book is a compilation of two short stories, fitting it within the 'Short Stories Collection' genre.
- Drama — The book's plot offers dramatic tension in its exploration of military events, qualifying it as part of the 'Drama' genre.
Tags
war · violence · death · military · justice · punishment · fiction · short story · gothic · horror · supernatural · psychological