War does not build courage, turn a boy into a man, or turn soldiers into heroes. It is the The Great War’s terrible conditions, odds, and despair where soldiers distinguish themselves as heroes through many acts of great courage. During battles and in the trenches, soldiers put others before themselves by risking their lives to save them. Charlie and Leo Clarke did everything they could to protect one another in times of need. Soldiers went above the call of duty in order change the course of battles and the war. All of this took pace in horrific conditions that can only be recounted in the stories of the soldiers who experienced it.
The conditions of WWI, known by soldiers as The Great War were incomparable to any other war the preceded it or followed it. Soon after the war began both sides were forced into trenches as a result of new military technology. Life for soldiers, especially special forces such as snipers and bombers were shaped around the need to eliminate the enemy at all costs. High ranking officers told to the special forces to “be audacious, aggressive, and utterly focused on killing Germans” in order to strike fear into them (110). The tactic was used by both sides resulted in soldiers fearing for their lives at all times, something that made trench life a living hell .Not only did soldiers fear for their lives, but the trenches they lived in were in disrepair and littered with filth. The trenches that were used by the Canadians were “foul and inadequate ” as Moreau 2 well as “remarkable for their disrepair” since they were inherited from the French (47). Not only were the trenches in ruins but “covered with bodies, either maimed or dead” during battles. The trenches without a doubt was what set The Great Wars conditions apart from any other was in history. Finally, WWI was the only war to use gas attacks, something that every soldier in the trenches feared. During gas attacks, gas “chlorine vapour attacked [soldiers] eyes and lungs, creating a searing pain and the sensation of drowning” when soldiers came into contact with gas (50). The gas was so undeniably terrible that after the war each country decided to never allow it to be used in wars again because of inhumane and destructive it was. Through the Great War’s horrifying conditions soldiers revealed themselves as heroes in many ways. Amongst some of the most brutal fighting, soldiers risked and often lost their lives to save their friends and fellow soldiers. The soldiers who risked their lives often won some of the highest military honors such as the Victoria Cross. To start with, John Pringle dove on top of a German machine gun during a battle to save his men from certain death. Soldiers reported after the battle “Lieutenant John Pringle had been found draped over the barred of a german machine gun” in …show more content…
To begin with, the soldiers of the Canadian Corps did not quit fighting through german gas attacks while other armies fled. As the soldiers gasped and choked form the gas attack, “Winnipeggers in the trenches lashed back, calling in an artillery barrage that caught the germans in open ground” to make sure that they did not surrender ground (59). The Winnipeggers undying spirit and never surrender attitude when faced with one of the world most terrible weapon was the reason battles were won by the Canadians. To Continue, After a massive crater was opened during battle that could allowed the Germans to win. What was left of the soldiers who were in charge of manning the firing trench “also were defending the crater” to ensure that they did not lose it to the germans (159). The soldiers who stopped at nothing to hold the crater in order to hold back the Germans displayed an enormous amount of courage to save the day. Finally, during Passchendaele, one of the largest battles to take place in WWI Bob Shankland’s quick thinking helped win the day for the Canadians. During the artillery barrage he noticed “enemy shells did not appear to be falling on the left side of the spur” and order his men as well as re enforcements to rush through the opening (254). Shanklands quick thinking
The conditions of WWI, known by soldiers as The Great War were incomparable to any other war the preceded it or followed it. Soon after the war began both sides were forced into trenches as a result of new military technology. Life for soldiers, especially special forces such as snipers and bombers were shaped around the need to eliminate the enemy at all costs. High ranking officers told to the special forces to “be audacious, aggressive, and utterly focused on killing Germans” in order to strike fear into them (110). The tactic was used by both sides resulted in soldiers fearing for their lives at all times, something that made trench life a living hell .Not only did soldiers fear for their lives, but the trenches they lived in were in disrepair and littered with filth. The trenches that were used by the Canadians were “foul and inadequate ” as Moreau 2 well as “remarkable for their disrepair” since they were inherited from the French (47). Not only were the trenches in ruins but “covered with bodies, either maimed or dead” during battles. The trenches without a doubt was what set The Great Wars conditions apart from any other was in history. Finally, WWI was the only war to use gas attacks, something that every soldier in the trenches feared. During gas attacks, gas “chlorine vapour attacked [soldiers] eyes and lungs, creating a searing pain and the sensation of drowning” when soldiers came into contact with gas (50). The gas was so undeniably terrible that after the war each country decided to never allow it to be used in wars again because of inhumane and destructive it was. Through the Great War’s horrifying conditions soldiers revealed themselves as heroes in many ways. Amongst some of the most brutal fighting, soldiers risked and often lost their lives to save their friends and fellow soldiers. The soldiers who risked their lives often won some of the highest military honors such as the Victoria Cross. To start with, John Pringle dove on top of a German machine gun during a battle to save his men from certain death. Soldiers reported after the battle “Lieutenant John Pringle had been found draped over the barred of a german machine gun” in …show more content…
To begin with, the soldiers of the Canadian Corps did not quit fighting through german gas attacks while other armies fled. As the soldiers gasped and choked form the gas attack, “Winnipeggers in the trenches lashed back, calling in an artillery barrage that caught the germans in open ground” to make sure that they did not surrender ground (59). The Winnipeggers undying spirit and never surrender attitude when faced with one of the world most terrible weapon was the reason battles were won by the Canadians. To Continue, After a massive crater was opened during battle that could allowed the Germans to win. What was left of the soldiers who were in charge of manning the firing trench “also were defending the crater” to ensure that they did not lose it to the germans (159). The soldiers who stopped at nothing to hold the crater in order to hold back the Germans displayed an enormous amount of courage to save the day. Finally, during Passchendaele, one of the largest battles to take place in WWI Bob Shankland’s quick thinking helped win the day for the Canadians. During the artillery barrage he noticed “enemy shells did not appear to be falling on the left side of the spur” and order his men as well as re enforcements to rush through the opening (254). Shanklands quick thinking