Most of the soldiers that served the armies throughout Europe were very young, and at that early age, most of them felt like their life had already ended. Prior to WW1, wars were generally not fought nonstop over the course of years, and that most of the soldiers in previous wars were professional mercenaries and war veterans. Now that this Great War is the complete antithesis of wars in the past, it had a profound effect on the minds of young men. They all felt like it was a patriotic duty, instead of a career when serving for their army. This was becau

se the war was born from nationalism.

In chapter 7, when Paul talks to the French women, they are interested in Paul because he is young, and lives a dangerous life in the war. When Paul tells one of the ladies that he isn’t returning to the trench, but is on leave, she quickly becomes disinterested in Paul. He realizes that she would find him more exciting if he returned to the front instead. Then when Paul returns to his hometown, civilians greet him, those civilians want to be seen and known that they talked, associated, and interacted with a soldier. The soldier represents their patriotic and nationalistic ideals, so they feel obliged to talk to Paul. In reality, civilians were succumbing to patriotism, and that the ugly side of war (trenches, rats, etc.) did not faze them in their blind rallying loyalty to the country.

The character of industrial warfare is best highlighted in chapter 6, when it conveys the grim reality of trench warfare. Before the modern trench warfare, quick and decisive battles were possible,

Some topics in this essay:
Prior WW1, Paul Bäumer, World War, , trench warfare, world war,