Notes:

The Price was a painting created for LIFE Magazine by war artist and correspondent, Thomas Calloway "Tom" Lea III, based on his experiences of front-line combat during the Battle of Peleliu in 1944 during the Pacific Campaign against Imperial Japan.

The artist, Thom Lea, had this to say about the painting:

“THE PRICE” “Lying in terror looking longingly up the slope to better cover, I saw a wounded man near me, staggering in the direction of the LVTs. His face was half-bloody pulp and the mangled shreds of what was left of an arm hung down like a stick, as he bent over in the stumbling, shock-crazy walk. The half of his face that was still human had the most terrifying look of abject patiences I have ever seen. He fell behind me, in a red puddle on the white sand.”

I had to have a good, long think before deciding to upload this image.

It is a powerful image, but what is it?

Is it entertaining? No.

Is it pleasant? No.

Is it cool? No.

What it is, is the truth.

It is a painting of a young man dying horribly in a battle of dubious strategic value. He will soon be forgotten as just another casualty among thousands.

No matter how we twist it, or the words we use to soften the blow, the Truth will always be the Truth.

Such scenes played out across the entire world during the course of World War 2, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation.

Normally I try to throw in a little joke and lighten the load of the heavier things I upload. But not here, to do so would be…highly disrespectful I feel.

It is what it is, no more, no less.