World War I was the worst conflict in human history with regards to personal experiences in war due to the unique circumstances surrounding the fight. The struggle signaled a shift from war being seen as a chance for glory to something that should be avoided at all costs. Why was World War I a major turning point for how the people of Great Britain perceived war? Due to the growth of literacy rates in the 19th century, the true realities of war were revealed to mankind for the first time.
The First World War lasted from 1914 to 1918 and involved all the major powers in Europe; Great Britain, France, Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. By the war’s end, casualties had reached more than thirty seven million, with over …show more content…
It was an intersection of outdated tactics and devastating new technology, with calamitous results that led to horrifying experiences for those involved. New weapons that saw their first significant action in the war include the machine gun, chemical weapons (gas), warplanes, tanks, and barbed wire. Each had their own place in the war, and each brought with them new ways of killing. Despite these new weapons, military commanders stuck to the tactics of the 20th century, which utilized “massed bayonet charges supported by the cavalry and mobile field artillery” (Simkin, par. 1). Throwing waves upon waves of soldiers against organized defense networks utilizing machine guns proved extremely ineffective, resulting in heavy casualties. “Going over the top” (charging the enemy) was a traumatic experience for most men as noted by Jasper Copping in an article for The …show more content…
It was released in book form the following year to smashing success, selling a million and a half copies that same year. Although publishers had worried that interest in the Great War had waned more than 10 years after the armistice, Remarque’s realistic depiction of trench warfare from the perspective of young soldiers struck a chord with the war’s survivors–soldiers and civilians alike–and provoked strong reactions, both positive and negative, around the world (“This Day in,” par.
The First World War lasted from 1914 to 1918 and involved all the major powers in Europe; Great Britain, France, Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. By the war’s end, casualties had reached more than thirty seven million, with over …show more content…
It was an intersection of outdated tactics and devastating new technology, with calamitous results that led to horrifying experiences for those involved. New weapons that saw their first significant action in the war include the machine gun, chemical weapons (gas), warplanes, tanks, and barbed wire. Each had their own place in the war, and each brought with them new ways of killing. Despite these new weapons, military commanders stuck to the tactics of the 20th century, which utilized “massed bayonet charges supported by the cavalry and mobile field artillery” (Simkin, par. 1). Throwing waves upon waves of soldiers against organized defense networks utilizing machine guns proved extremely ineffective, resulting in heavy casualties. “Going over the top” (charging the enemy) was a traumatic experience for most men as noted by Jasper Copping in an article for The …show more content…
It was released in book form the following year to smashing success, selling a million and a half copies that same year. Although publishers had worried that interest in the Great War had waned more than 10 years after the armistice, Remarque’s realistic depiction of trench warfare from the perspective of young soldiers struck a chord with the war’s survivors–soldiers and civilians alike–and provoked strong reactions, both positive and negative, around the world (“This Day in,” par.