“We are not youth any longer. We don’t want to take the world by storm. We are fleeing. We fly from ourselves. From our lives. We are eighteen and had begun to love life and the world; and we had to shoot it to pieces.” This quote by Erich Maria Remarque, a World War 1 veteran, provides a real image of consequence. It highlights the loss of innocence in youth, sorrow, despair, and the loss of dreams among others. The highly emotional impact of the quote prompted further research into the glaring consequences of war as a whole and also the individual consequences of men and families. Consequence is a thread that weaves through every war; and though often disregarded, they are experienced heavily by everyone. The most striking consequence of
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The consequences stretched far beyond the battle field and into the lives of everyone. Carlisle exemplifies this with his statement, “The slaughter had been so widespread and grotesque, and its reasons so illogical and incomprehensible, that a whole generation in Europe and the United States saw the war itself as the most significant event of their lives(301).” The youth of this time period became known as the Lost Generation. They were plagued with a loss of direction and a lack of purpose in life; in an attempt to re-define, what to them, had been lost in the war they pervaded several changes in the culture of society. The works of the writers especially during this time period depict the deep emotional turmoil as they criticize the loss of their once great country and introduce the overwhelming feeling of being utterly lost and forever changed because of the war. Numerous soldiers returning were tormented by their experiences, “Returning veterans included not only the physically wounded but millions whose psychic scars would never heal… Troubled by nightmarish flashbacks to the scenes of horror they had witnessed, many veterans in all the combatant nations could not participate normally in social and economic life (Carlisle 301).” Carlisle’s statement further exemplifies that the afflictions of war last long after the last gun is fired. It is imperative that veterans are taken care of when they return home. Their bravery, sacrifice, and selflessness deserves honor, respect, and help if
The consequences stretched far beyond the battle field and into the lives of everyone. Carlisle exemplifies this with his statement, “The slaughter had been so widespread and grotesque, and its reasons so illogical and incomprehensible, that a whole generation in Europe and the United States saw the war itself as the most significant event of their lives(301).” The youth of this time period became known as the Lost Generation. They were plagued with a loss of direction and a lack of purpose in life; in an attempt to re-define, what to them, had been lost in the war they pervaded several changes in the culture of society. The works of the writers especially during this time period depict the deep emotional turmoil as they criticize the loss of their once great country and introduce the overwhelming feeling of being utterly lost and forever changed because of the war. Numerous soldiers returning were tormented by their experiences, “Returning veterans included not only the physically wounded but millions whose psychic scars would never heal… Troubled by nightmarish flashbacks to the scenes of horror they had witnessed, many veterans in all the combatant nations could not participate normally in social and economic life (Carlisle 301).” Carlisle’s statement further exemplifies that the afflictions of war last long after the last gun is fired. It is imperative that veterans are taken care of when they return home. Their bravery, sacrifice, and selflessness deserves honor, respect, and help if