French And German Soldiers In WWI

French and German Soldiers in WWI

The first World War was a horrible experience for all sides
involved. No one was immune to the effects of this global conflict and
each country was affected in various ways. However, one area of
relative comparison can be noted in the experiences of the French and
German soldiers. In gaining a better underezding of the French
experience, Wilfred Owen's Dulce et Decorum Est was particularly
useful. Regarding the German soldier's experience, various selections
from Erice Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front proved to
be a valuable source of insight. A analysis of the above mentioned
sources, one can note various similarities between the German and
French armies during World War I in the areas of trench warfare,
ill-fated troops, and military technology. Trench warfare was totally
unbiased. The trench did not discriminate between cultures. This "new
warfare" was unlike anything the world had seen before, millions of
people died during a war that was supposed to be over in time for the
holidays. Each side entrenched themselves in makeshift bunkers that
attempted to provide protection from the incoming shells and brave
soldiers. After receiving an order to overtake the enemies bunker,
soldiers trounced their way through the land between the opposing
armies that was referred to as "no man's land." The direness of the
war was exemplified in a quotation taken from Remarque's All Quiet on
the Western Front, "Attac...

French And German Soldiers In WWI

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