“...Britain declared war on Germany. Shackleton's position could hardly have been worse. He was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't. He was just about to leave on an expedition he had dreamed about and worked toward for almost four years. Vast sums of money, much of it involving future commitments, had been spent, and countless hours had gone into planning and preparation. At the same time, he felt strongly about doing his part in the war.”
Shackleton was on the verge of leaving everything he had worked toward behind to help his country in need. He and his crew were about to abandon it when Winston Churchill willed that the expedition go on as planned. This sacrifice that Shackleton was about to make was immense, however, he knew his sole duty was to help his country. When attempting to describe Shackleton's dilemma, Lansing uses such words as “damned” to convey his thoughts or feelings. This expletive successfully conveys the atmosphere and seriousness of the situation that Shackleton is in.
Your use of open ended words like vast and countless is very interesting because it highlights the about of time, money and effort that went into this journey.
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