The EXCltement and the Reality of War

The incredible outpouring of patriotic enthusiasm that A rapid excursion into the romantic, a wild, manly
greeted the declaration of war at the beginning of August adventure-that is how the war of 1914 was painted
1914 in many European countries demonstrated the in the imagination of the simple man, and the younger
power that nationalistic feeling had attained at the people were honestly afraid that they might miss this most
beginning of the twentieth century. Many Europeans wonderful and exciting experience of their lives; that is
seemingly believed that the war had given them a higher why they hurried and thronged to the colors, and that is
purpose, a renewed dedication to the greatness of their why they shouted and sang in the trains that carried them
nation. That sense of enthusiasm was captured by the to the slaughter; wildly and feverishly the red wave of
Austrian writer Stefan Zweig in his book The World of blood coursed through the veins of the entire nation.
Yesterday.
The reality of war was entirely different. Soldiers who Erich lVIaria Remarque, A? Quiet 0″ the
had left for the front in August 1914 in the belief that they littlestel?lt Front
would be home by Christmas found themselves shivering We wake up in the middle of the night. The earth booms.
and dying in the vast networks Of trenches along the Heavy fire is falling on us. We crouch into corners.
battlefront. Few expressed the horror of trench warfare as Every man is aware of the heavy shells tearing down the
well as the German writer Erich Maria Remarque in his parapet, rooting up the embankment and demolishing the
famous novel All Quiet on the Western Front, first published upper layers of concrete. . . 0 Already by morning a few
in a German newspaper in 1928′ of the recruits are green and vomiting.
Stefan Zweig, The tot/tolrld of Yesterday 1:10 one would belleve that ln this howling waste there
r cou d stlll be men, but steel helmets now appear on all
The next morning

Your responses may include your general thoughts on the reading but should focus primarily on the question or questions at the end of each selection. The general rule is that a response is due one or two classes after the related material is discussed in class.

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