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Tyler Davis
Wagoner
H. English 10: D1B2
24 February 2007
Neither an !!usation Nor a "on#ession
$% thin& it is 'ore o# a #ever. No one in (arti!ular )ants it* an+ then all at on!e
there it is. We +i+n,t )ant the )ar* the others say the sa'e thing - an+ yet hal# the )orl+
is in it all the sa'e../1041 Eri!h 2aria 3e'ar4ue )rote the boo& All Quiet on the
Western Front - a boo& about 5er'an sol+iers in Worl+ War 6ne. 3e'ar4ue )as a
(a!i#ist an+ !lai'e+ that this boo& )as not inten+e+ to 'a&e (eo(le see ho) horrible )ar
is. Ho)ever* one !an !learly see ho) terribly a )ar is run* the a'ount o# +eath involve+*
an+ the )ar #or!e+ 'entality o# sol+iers in 3e'ar4ue,s )riting.
The business o# )ar is atro!ious. First* the lea+ers o# )ar are !o'(letely
se(arate+ #ro' the (eo(le at the #ront lines. $Give em hell all the same grub and all the
same pay and the war would be over and done in a day.. /271 There is no in!entive #or
the big )igs to sto( the )ar be!ause they are !o'(letely se(arate+ #ro' the a!tual
#ighting. 8e!on+* ho) a )ar starts is truly bi9arre. 6ne !ountry +e!i+es that they nee+
'ore lan+ than they alrea+y have so the lea+ers +e!i+e to steal the lan+ #ro' so'eone
else. "o'(aratively* a )ar !oul+ start solely by so'ething as (etty as an insult. Thir+*
)ar 'a&es ene'ies out o# (eo(le )ho are !o'(lete strangers. "o''on (eo(le be!o'e
sol+iers. Then* there are bla!&s'iths an+ shoe 'a&ers )ho atta!& )riters an+ )aiters.
What goo+ !o'es o# it:
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;illing an+ )ar go han+ in han+. First* seeing a 'an +ie an+ &no)ing you &ille+
hi' is a horrible e<(erien!e. 8ol+iers ha+ to +eal )ith this every +ay. %n e<a'(le* =aul*
the 'ain !hara!ter o# the boo&* )as tra((e+ in a shell hole )ith a Fren!h sol+ier )ho' he
ha+ stabbe+ +uring his last 'inutes. 8e!on+* sol+iers 'ay have to &ill 'ore than >ust the
ene'y. #atally )oun+e+ sol+ier )oul+ be better o## +ieing instantly an+ 'er!i#ully
rather than s(en+ing their last +ays in (ain. $8houl+n,t )e >ust ta&e a revolver an+ (ut an
en+ to it:. /471 Thir+* there are 'any +i##erent !auses o# +eath in )ar. $8hells* gas
!lou+s* an+ #lotillas o# tan&s - shattering* !orro+ing* +eath. Dysentery* in#luen9a* ty(hus
- s!al+ing* !ho&ing* +eath. Tren!hes* hos(itals* the !o''on grave - there are no other
(ossibilities.. /1701 Ene'y )ea(onry* +iseases* an+ even (la!es that shoul+ be sa#e are
all (la!es #or +eath in a )ar. %t is a )on+er that anyone !a'e ba!& alive.
The entire 'entality o# sol+iers !hanges be!ause o# a )ar. First* they be!o'e
in+i##erent to)ar+s +eath. =eo(le in a nor'al li#e are trau'ati9e+ >ust by seeing a
stranger +ie. "ontrastingly* sol+iers at the #ront see +eath so o#ten that +eath itsel# looses
all 'eaning. 8e!on+* sol+iers, 'in+s !hange so that they al)ays #eel as i# they are at the
#ront #ighting #or their lives. $? % have been startle+ a !ou(le o# ti'es in the street by the
s!rea'ing o# the tra'!ars* )hi!h rese'bles the shrie& o# a shell !o'ing straight #or
one?. /1071 8ol+iers have a har+ ti'e >ust living in an average environ'ent let alone
#un!tioning in one. Thir+* sol+iers have to #ear #or their lives. $But so long as )e have to
stay here in the #iel+* the #ront@line +ays* )hen they are (ast* sin& +o)n in us li&e a stoneA
they are too grievous #or us to be able to re#le!t on the' at on!e. $%# )e +i+ that* )e
shoul+ have been +estroye+ long ago.. /B21 8ol+iers have #ear an+ no )ay to relieve
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the'selves #ro' it. C% soon #oun+ out this 'u!h: @ terror !an be en+ure+ so long as a 'an
si'(ly +u!&sA @ but it &ills* i# a 'an thin&s about it.. /B21
3e'ar4ue illustrates (er#e!tly ho) terribly a )ar is run* the a'ount o# +eath
involve+* an+ the )ar #or!e+ 'entality o# sol+iers. The boo& tells o# the horrors o# )ar
the )ay only a 'an )ho has e<(erien!e+ it #irst han+ !oul+. 3e'ar4ue,s (a!i#is' is
easily trans#erre+ to anyone )ho rea+s All Quiet on the Western Front. $We have seen
nothing li&e it #or years* nothing li&e it #or ha((iness* beauty* an+ >oy. That is (ea!e@ti'e*
that is as it shoul+ be?. /B41