The World War One era brought about an atmosphere of war in Nazi Germany. The “superior race” of the Nazi Germans were ready to kill and were excited at the thought of war; they did not make friends with their enemies. Many young German men were enthusiastic to leave their school, family, and hometowns because they were honored to fight for their country and felt like they were no longer young boys. The true horror of war is portrayed in All Quiet on the Western Front, where the hospital conditions in the field were poor, soldiers were isolated from their families, and soldiers began to see the dignity of human life, even in their enemies.
Throughout the war many soldiers become afflicted with injury and disease. They are then sent …show more content…
He realizes that something is different about his mother, when he returns home on leave; she is weak and often stays in bed all day. Paul learns that his mother has been stricken with cancer, yet again. His sister explains that she did not want to write and tell Paul, because she was afraid he would worry for his mother and his mind would be taken off of the war. This is the German mindset of war; young men should only be focused on taking down their enemies and killing for the Nazi regime. Germans had a great sense of national pride; they were told that people of inferior backgrounds were harmful to society. In order to have a perfect German nation, German citizens rallied around Nazi teachings; they killed their enemies for the betterment of their country. What the Nazis objected to most in All Quiet on the Western Front was that Paul saw the dignity of human life in his enemy. An example occurs when Paul is out in No Man’s Land and he kills a Slavic soldier, who ricocheted into his foxhole:
‘Comrade I did not want to kill you. If you jumped in here again, I would not do it, if you would be sensible too. But you were only an idea to me before, an abstraction that lived in my mind and called forth its appropriate response. It was that abstraction I stabbed. But now, for the first time, I see you are a man like me’. (Remarque …show more content…
He begins to question the doctrine of the Nazis by saying: “‘Why do they never tell us that you are poor devils like us, that your mothers are just as anxious as ours, and that we have the same fear of death, and the same dying and the same agony--forgive me comrade; how could you be my enemy?’”(Remarque 223). Paul sees the dignity of life in this Slav, comparing the Slav to himself. He feels that even though they are enemies, they are still part of families and have the same fear of dying in the war. Their lives are very much the same, even though their military training and countries’ propaganda taught them otherwise. All Quiet on the Western Front illustrates the true horror of war, which was a threat to the Nazi regime. This book contradicted the Nazi teachings of killing the enemy and seeing the dignity of life in those who were considered “inferior”. Instead of encouraging young men, who were going off to war, this book was meant as a deterrent; it showed the separation in families, poor healthcare, and poor quality of life. The Nazis objected to this book because it promotes pacifism and demoralizes the Nazi spirit of
Throughout the war many soldiers become afflicted with injury and disease. They are then sent …show more content…
He realizes that something is different about his mother, when he returns home on leave; she is weak and often stays in bed all day. Paul learns that his mother has been stricken with cancer, yet again. His sister explains that she did not want to write and tell Paul, because she was afraid he would worry for his mother and his mind would be taken off of the war. This is the German mindset of war; young men should only be focused on taking down their enemies and killing for the Nazi regime. Germans had a great sense of national pride; they were told that people of inferior backgrounds were harmful to society. In order to have a perfect German nation, German citizens rallied around Nazi teachings; they killed their enemies for the betterment of their country. What the Nazis objected to most in All Quiet on the Western Front was that Paul saw the dignity of human life in his enemy. An example occurs when Paul is out in No Man’s Land and he kills a Slavic soldier, who ricocheted into his foxhole:
‘Comrade I did not want to kill you. If you jumped in here again, I would not do it, if you would be sensible too. But you were only an idea to me before, an abstraction that lived in my mind and called forth its appropriate response. It was that abstraction I stabbed. But now, for the first time, I see you are a man like me’. (Remarque …show more content…
He begins to question the doctrine of the Nazis by saying: “‘Why do they never tell us that you are poor devils like us, that your mothers are just as anxious as ours, and that we have the same fear of death, and the same dying and the same agony--forgive me comrade; how could you be my enemy?’”(Remarque 223). Paul sees the dignity of life in this Slav, comparing the Slav to himself. He feels that even though they are enemies, they are still part of families and have the same fear of dying in the war. Their lives are very much the same, even though their military training and countries’ propaganda taught them otherwise. All Quiet on the Western Front illustrates the true horror of war, which was a threat to the Nazi regime. This book contradicted the Nazi teachings of killing the enemy and seeing the dignity of life in those who were considered “inferior”. Instead of encouraging young men, who were going off to war, this book was meant as a deterrent; it showed the separation in families, poor healthcare, and poor quality of life. The Nazis objected to this book because it promotes pacifism and demoralizes the Nazi spirit of