--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I asked God \"Why, why, why?\" I turned my…" description: "\"I asked God \"Why, why, why?\" I turned my face away and wished that I were imagining it all. I had tasted the bitterest essence of war, the sight of hel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6df/eugene-b-sledge-36387_comrade_i-asked-god-why-why-why-i-turned-my-face_900851.jpg" --- # I asked God "Why, why, why?" I turned my face away and… ![“I asked God "Why, why, why?" I turned my face away and wished that I were imagining it all. I had tasted the bitterest essence of war, the sight of helpless comrades being slaughtered, and it filled me with disgust.” quote by Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6df/eugene-b-sledge-36387_comrade_i-asked-god-why-why-why-i-turned-my-face_900851.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6df/eugene-b-sledge-36387_comrade_i-asked-god-why-why-why-i-turned-my-face_900851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6df/eugene-b-sledge-36387_comrade_i-asked-god-why-why-why-i-turned-my-face_900851.jpg) > “I asked God "Why, why, why?" I turned my face away and wished that I were imagining it all. I had tasted the bitterest essence of war, the sight of helpless comrades being slaughtered, and it filled me with disgust.” [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The horror of war shatters faith, leaving the narrator disillusioned and yearning for escape from brutal reality. **In simple terms:** War destroys belief and creates deep disgust. Key Takeaway Recognize the cost of conflict on the soul. Themes war disillusionment faith trauma Mood somber reflective Type philosophical memoir When to use this quote - battlefield - post‑combat reflection - spiritual questioning Key Concepts existential crisis moral injury Questions to Reflect On - How does witnessing atrocity reshape your worldview? - Can one find meaning after such horror? A Different Perspective The quote may romanticize suffering as a path to insight, which can be misleading. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asked God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-god/) [Comrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comrade/) [Disgust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disgust/) [Disgusting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disgusting/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Filled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filled/) [Filled Disgust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filled-disgust-1239521/) [Goddess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goddess/) [Helpless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helpless/) [Imagining Tasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagining-tasted-1239523/) [Okinawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okinawa/) [Sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sight/) [Tasted Bitterest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tasted-bitterest-1239522/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“Only those who have tasted the bitterest of the bitter can become people who stand out among others. -Guanchang Xianxing Ji”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-polly/only-those-who-have-tasted-the-bitterest-of-the-bitter-can-become/) [Matthew Polly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-polly/) > [War is brutish, inglorious, and a terrible waste... The only redeeming factors were my comrades' incredible bravery and their devotion to each other. Marine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/war-is-brutish-inglorious-and-a-terrible-waste-the-only-redeeming/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) > [If they can fight and die on Okinawa, Guadalcanal (and) in the South Pacific, they can play ball in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/happy-chandler/if-they-can-fight-and-die-on-okinawa-guadalcanal-and-in-the-south/) [Happy Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/happy-chandler/) > [I would say that my great political awakening was really born on Okinawa, reading Albert Camus: the "Neither Victims nor Executioners" essay and The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hamill/i-would-say-that-my-great-political-awakening-was-really-born-on/) [Sam Hamill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hamill/) > [My father was in the military, so I was in Okinawa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-colt/my-father-was-in-the-military-so-i-was-in-okinawa/) [Johnny Colt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-colt/) > [After the military, I floundered around between jobs for a while, and there was an opportunity for me to go live in Japan. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/after-the-military-i-floundered-around-between-jobs-for-a-while-and/) [JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/) > [“The more you miss something, the greater the appeal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-carlisle/the-more-you-miss-something-the-greater-the-appeal/) [Lisa Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-carlisle/) > [“If you kiss me like that,” she purred, “I’ll take on any danger. I’d rather stay with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-carlisle/if-you-kiss-me-like-that-she-purred-i-ll-take-on-any-danger-i-d/) [Lisa Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-carlisle/) > [“The Japanese fought to win - it was a savage, brutal, inhumane, exhausting and dirty business. Our commanders knew that if we were to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-japanese-fought-to-win-it-was-a-savage-brutal-inhumane-exhausting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't think America needs 28,000 men on Okinawa. I don't think we need an army in Germany. What's it for, to protect Germans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-gutzman/i-don-t-think-america-needs-28-000-men-on-okinawa-i-don-t-think-we/) [Kevin Gutzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-gutzman/) > [Many U.S. military bases are located in northern Okinawa and a number of drills are conducted there. We'll work with the U.S. military to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshihide-suga/many-u-s-military-bases-are-located-in-northern-okinawa-and-a-number/) [Yoshihide Suga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshihide-suga/) > [I was a runner and a soccer player living in Okinawa, Japan and I didn't have recruiters coming in to recruit me for sports.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-armstrong/i-was-a-runner-and-a-soccer-player-living-in-okinawa-japan-and-i-didn/) [Kristin Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-armstrong/) > [Japan's alliance with the U.S. will only grow in importance amid the increasingly difficult security situation surrounding our country, thus I think it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshihiko-noda/japan-s-alliance-with-the-u-s-will-only-grow-in-importance-amid-the/) [Yoshihiko Noda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshihiko-noda/) > [“Karate is not about techniques and their execution, but about boldness, integrity and fight for justice and common good”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soke-behzad-ahmadi/karate-is-not-about-techniques-and-their-execution-but-about-boldness/) [Soke Behzad Ahmadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soke-behzad-ahmadi/) > [A lifetime of low calories has come naturally to the longest-lived people in the world... in the Japanese archipelago of Okinawa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-jay-olshansky/a-lifetime-of-low-calories-has-come-naturally-to-the-longest-lived/) [S. Jay Olshansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-jay-olshansky/) ## More by Eugene B. Sledge > [“Lying in a foxhole sweating out an enemy artillery or mortar barrage or waiting to dash across open ground under machine-gun or artillery fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/lying-in-a-foxhole-sweating-out-an-enemy-artillery-or-mortar-barrage/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) > [“Your soul may belong to Jesus, but your ass belongs to the marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/your-soul-may-belong-to-jesus-but-your-ass-belongs-to-the-marines/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) > [War is brutish, inglorious, and a terrible waste... The only redeeming factors were my comrades' incredible bravery and their devotion to each other. Marine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/war-is-brutish-inglorious-and-a-terrible-waste-the-only-redeeming/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) > [“I think the Marine Corps has forgotten where Pavuvu is," one man said. "I think God has forgotten where Pavuvu is," came a reply.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/i-think-the-marine-corps-has-forgotten-where-pavuvu-is-one-man-said-i/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) > [“As the sun disappeared below the horizon and its glare no longer reflected off a glassy sea, I thought of how beautiful the sunsets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/as-the-sun-disappeared-below-the-horizon-and-its-glare-no-longer/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) > [I am the harvest of man's stupidity. I am the fruit of the holocaust. I prayed like you to survive, but look at me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/i-am-the-harvest-of-man-s-stupidity-i-am-the-fruit-of-the-holocaust-i/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) > [“The men digging in on both sides of me cursed the stench and the mud. I began moving the heavy, sticky clay mud with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/the-men-digging-in-on-both-sides-of-me-cursed-the-stench-and-the-mud/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) > [“And I didn’t neglect to point out to my Yankee buddies that most of the high shooters in our platoon were Southern boys.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/and-i-didn-t-neglect-to-point-out-to-my-yankee-buddies-that-most-of/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) > [“The other veteran said "Listen, mate, everybody gets scared, and anybody says he don't is a damn liar”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/the-other-veteran-said-listen-mate-everybody-gets-scared-and-anybody/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) > [“Would the war dehumanize me so that I, too, could "field trip" enemy dead with such nonchalance?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/would-the-war-dehumanize-me-so-that-i-too-could-field-trip-enemy-dead/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) > [“I concluded that it was impossible for me to be killed, because God loved me. Then I told myself that God loved us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/i-concluded-that-it-was-impossible-for-me-to-be-killed-because-god/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) > [“Kick him in the balls before he kicks you in yours”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/kick-him-in-the-balls-before-he-kicks-you-in-yours/) [Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) [Explore all 13 Eugene B. Sledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/) ## More Comrade quotes > [Comrades, there is no true social revolution without the liberation of women. May my eyes never see and my feet never take me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sankara/comrades-there-is-no-true-social-revolution-without-the-liberation-of/) [Thomas Sankara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sankara/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/obstacles-are-necessary-for-success-because-in-selling-as-in-all/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [The little bee returns with evening's gloom, To join her comrades in the braided hive, Where, housed beside their might honey-comb, They dream their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tennyson-turner/the-little-bee-returns-with-evening-s-gloom-to-join-her-comrades-in/) [Charles Tennyson Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-tennyson-turner/) > [Gentlemen, comrades, do not be concerned about all you hear about Glasnost and Perestroika and democracy in the coming years. They are primarily for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-gorbachev/gentlemen-comrades-do-not-be-concerned-about-all-you-hear-about/) [Mikhail Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-gorbachev/) > [In spite of my great admiration for individual splendid talents I do not accept the star system. 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