Renato Segatto – Journal 6

The editors of Discovering the Western Past describe World War I as a “Total War.” What do they mean by this?

Discovering the Western Past describes World War 1 as a “Total War” because of its nature. Everyone was involved; civilians as well as the military were involved in the war in some way. All military resources were mobilized for the war, and with the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century, it turned the conflict into a total war and becoming very expensive. The main focus for many nations, like Germany, was the war and it gave the name “Total War” all on its own.

What is the poem trying to communicate about war? In what way does it indict the war and warfare? Do you think that the poem is intended to address the larger society that experiences “total war?” In what way? Use Owen’s poem as a starting point in composing a 3-paragraph essay on World War I as “total war” and the lessons that the authors of primary sources hoped to impart about war.

The poem is describing the ugly side of the battlefield beginning with this ugly beast they call “war”. It depicts the men “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks” (321), which gives the reader a unpleasant image. It describes the decrepit state of health and morale only to be followed by an account of someone dying from poison gas. Soldiers witnessed their fellow comrade’s die before their eyes so often during this war.

It charges the war with the lack of proper resources which in turn gives an impression of a weakening infrastructure on the front line. They have soldiers with missing boots and those who are not properly rested. Hunched over like beggars is not what many would imagine out of a service member. Marching half asleep gives the idea of zombie like soldiers marching through the mud and muck (321-322). The warfare consisted of men dying from poison gas, described as “like a man in fire” gives a sickly image. “…behind the wagon that we flung him in…obscene as cancer…vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues” (322). Owen shows how horrible it is to watch someone die and once someone does, they are thrown onto the wagon as if were a trash bag. It was done to innocent men; they may have not personally done much to inflict damage on the enemy, but they are the ones taking the “hit” for the higher ranking officials and secretaries in order to win the war. Owen also says “you would not tell with such high zest to children ardent for some desperate glory” (322). The soldiers showed their desire of being on the battlefield and saying how hideous it was to be there.

I believe it is addressing the larger society because not everyone experiences or even knows what actually happens on the battlefield. Although it gives a not so pleasant image, the larger society needs to know what happens. If the stories were all made up and created, it wouldn’t rest easy with those who experienced it firsthand. Owen mentioned no one would describe this war story with such passion to children. There is a bit of holding back when it deals with so many casualties as WW1 had. It may have been the way early soldiers dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder and is where the greatest war literature came from.