Hello All! watch the dates of posts and letters, you'll see that with some, Edward's letters may be behind in actual time for Bella. Obviously, that is because of the lag in getting to her. So while the last post was April 12th, this one is earlier because it is his letter. You'll see in the next post when she actually gets this.
There is a purpose to this way of posting. You'll have to pay attention to dates, especially in context of the time in history. There will be a lot of times that Bella's letters and Edward's letters pass one another in transit, where his responses may seem old news to some of what she is asking in letters we see her write...
History lesson at the end pertaining to things in this post. Enjoy!
April 2nd
Dear Bella,
I came in from the field today and was greeted with four of your letters! I cannot tell you just how much it meant to me to hear my name called out and to receive a stack of letters, rather than not hearing my name at all. My pals in my unit are quite envious. You have a real honest to goodness fan club here.
Do you have friends who might enjoy writing also?
My friend Jasper asks, and to be honest, it would be nice if he got his own letters, so he stopped looking over my shoulder while I read yours. He's a good friend, but he spends too much time worrying about other people, and it would be nice for him to worry about someone other than me.
My other friend, Emmett is looking for someone to correspond with as well, although to be honest, I had no idea he could even write before this week. Aside from dime novels with pictures, I never see him read. But he's a good man, and has gotten me out of a few jams, so it's the least I can do to see him with a pen pal. If you have anyone who can handle an overbearing, muscle-brained oaf with a big heart, Emmett's their man.
You asked what I do. I'm not sure how much I can say, except that I am in a special division of the XXXXXXXX Infantry XXXXXXXX. But don't be worried. I've been at this for over a year. And my unit is the best there is and know how to keep our heads down. We have trained hard for what we do, and have no intentions of losing a man to battle before this war is over, which we all hope XXXXXXXXX. We are a tightknit group of hardy men, picked and weeded out for this job because of our mettle. Some of us have been here since XXXXXXXXXXX; the need is great enough that they have not sent my Captain home in XXX years. They transferred him into our company when they combined the XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX He was in XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. So he knows his salt. I'm proud to serve under him and know he'll make the right decisions for us in the heat of battle.
I'm sorry you lost your job at the library, but I am sure the soldiers you read to are far happier for your company than a building full of books. It sounds like you are doing a great service, and I am glad the woman you work with found you that job. Morale is important, and I am sure a pretty, young lady reading Hemingway is quite a morale boost, even though I agree, they could hear something better than Hemingway. I am sure just your presence is enough to make them smile.
I must say I am jealous of the men you read to. I don't know what you look like, but I am sure you are beautiful inside and out and have many men wishing they had your heart.
If not to sound too presumptuous, may I ask if you are married or seeing someone? Is he a soldier too? Or are you unmarried?
Because now my mind worries that you are surrounded by soldiers the likes of which are probably scoundrels. Don't believe them when they say they could love you. We're all very lonely men who would prey on a kind lady's affections in a heartbeat. Soldier's hearts have no room for morals and many men would never treat you with the respect you deserve from your kind heart.
Of course you are safe with me, I am here, and you are safe at home. We will more than likely never meet. But those men in the hospital. Keep a watchful eye on them.
You asked if I was married. I am not.
No girls back home, and we honestly have very little time here to search anyone out, even on leave. I know a few boys in the flight crews have steady dames, but I don't think I could in good conscience lead a lady on for my own pleasure when death could be just around the corner for me. I am in the minority I suppose, but I when I pledge myself to a woman I want to guarantee to her that I will be there to protect her and provide for her, and I have seen too many here receive that dreaded letter from a girl back home stating that they had moved on.
I could not expect a girl to wait for me, only to lose hope and possibly myself in the process.
You are the first girl I have had more than a simple conversation with, and sometimes I wonder if we did not have the safe barrier of letters and an ocean between us, would we have even struck up conversation with one another. I think sometimes it would be nice to think so, but then I know I would have to rely on you to start conversation, just as you did here. I am miserable at speaking with ladies.
I don't know why I just wrote that. I hope I didn't offend you. Please forgive me if I did. I am not very good at explaining myself. You have offered me much in your letters, I feel I know you and perhaps that is new and a little unnerving for me. I am very thankful for your honesty and hope that you are not offended by mine. Your letters and your friendship are much appreciated.
I will try and write again. I am sorry I have not written more, and now that I have received your letters, I promise to do so more often if I can. With so many drills and exercises in the last few months, it is difficult to sleep let alone write, but I will try. It sounds like you enjoy it as much as I do when you receive a letter, and that makes me happy to have done this. I hope that the length of this letter is proof of just how much I enjoyed your letters. You are possibly the best morale boost this soldier has had in quite some time.
We are on leave for a couple XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. It's still cold here, and raining every day. They say that is typical here. I have never been to Washington, I am glad you are in New York were you might be seeing the true brilliance of spring. We XXXXXXXXXXXXX into a field of tulips just last week, and it was the most glorious sight to see. So much yellow and red and green. Unspoilt by night bombings or soldier's feet, except now for our own.
But your letters offer a little sunshine to this soldier's day. And now I have several to carry with me to light my way.
Thank you for writing to me. I look forward to every word you send.
Yours truly,
Edward
P.S. Thank you for allowing me to call you Bella. I think I like it also. It is a beautiful name, and one of the only words I know in Italian. It means Beautiful, of which I am sure you knew. And are.
AN: So the XXXXX's represent the censorship that happened often in letters to and from soldiers.
Ever heard the term "Loose Lips Sink Ships"? This was a standard saying in many war Propaganda posters here.
Censorship in letters during war time started most commonly back in the Civil War. Any discussion of troop where abouts, tactics or the like were often cut out or blacked out.
Come WW2, it was ingrained in the soldiers to watch what they said. If intercepted into enemy hands, an entire mission could be lost because of simple discussion to a loved one. It was often written by soldiers "I can't say what we're doing, but don't worry..."
Censors were often supervising officers or the chaplain of a unit. If they found something suspect, they would cut it out or black it out so as not to lend to the possibility of falling into the wrong hands. Some censors were more involved than others, and would cut out more than might have been necessary. So oftentimes, letters to loved ones might be perceived as boring. simple news and talk about feelings- but this was an important look into the psyche of those soldiers too. Many wrote about their fears and wishes to be home. You could tell alot about their morale by reading.
Censorship stopped shortly after the Korean War, when it was deemed too much expense to maintain and that most of the time, soldiers acted accordingly. You can find a lot of archived letters by researching the Military historical Post society. American Experience also has a nice section on War Letters, if you woudl like more info.
So the XXXX's are my attempt at the blacking out of possible sensitive materials. We'll learn more about that coming up. Did Edward screw up by writing those things. Maybe, maybe not. But it was a means for me to leave a few more clues as to what he does. I'm cruel i know that I don't just spit it out. But we won't know until Bella knows.
And don't be too sad about Edward's stand offish approach to relationships. He has a reason... but will probably fail miserably at trying to keep his emotional distance from Bella. Can Edward EVER stand to be away from her? even by letter? yeah, not a chance.
There's a group on Facebook now for this story(called Letters to Corporal Masen), if you'd like to see pics, discuss, and see some of the historical footage I have watched/read for this story:
www dot facebook dot com/groups/463648170336030/
more soon!
MWAH!
steph
