The Unglamorous Side of War Depicted in Remarques All...

Why does the world need to kill two million men just because two countries can’t agree with each other? War is devastating to countries and most indefinitely to individuals and soldiers. A war can ruin families, friendships, education, economy, and the minds of innocent people. Most young men, who were just approaching manhood, were pulled of their innocence of childhood, and thrown into a world of rage and destruction. Soldiers that luckily survive a horrific war often find their lives turned completely upside down since they enlisted, and sometimes it is just impossible to forget the vicious past and start over again as a civilian. Many older men believe that wars being fought are wars of dignity and glory, but truthfully, wars are†¦show more content†¦Another point that the author creates about the negative aspects of war is that there is never an abundant supply of food to support the well-being of all the men out there in the war. In the novel, the men who were used to eating decent meals every day before the war face severe hardships because in the army, they do not receive opulent nor tasty rations. â€Å"Long time since you’ve had anything decent to eat, eh?† Kat asks one of the [new recruits]. â€Å"For breakfast, turnip-bread, ã… ¡lunch, turnip-stew†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦it’s nothing new for it to be made of sawdust.† (Remarque 36) If these poor soldiers had better nourishments and more rest, the already-harsh environment would have been easier to survive. Many more recruits have actually died from a lack of sleep and food than from actual hand-to-hand combats. Another issue about the war is the complete loss of sanitation, or hygiene. â€Å"We must look out for our bread. The rats have become more numerous lately because the trenches are no longer in good condition.† (Remarque 101, 102) Because it is very unclean and pathogens float all over the place, various soldiers have deceased from an i nfection somewhere in the body. Maybe, just maybe, if the army had more suitable circumstances for the men in the war, fewer soldiers would have died. In addition, a concept that Remarque makes regarding the adverse effects of wars is that wars have killed many frank young men, who