All Quiet on The Western Front!

This book moves me, it is moving mountains in me. I was saying earlier today that I definately believe in reincarnation now because the book is but a flashback to me, a glimpse at a life I used to own and a man I used to be. I was for sure an American (maybe British, but absolutely not French) officer out on the front lines at the battle of the Somme.

(The front lines at The Battle of The Somme)

        Here's the thing. I hate war. It doesnt make logical sense to me. I do not understand it. I have a hard time saying that "No I wouldnt run to Canada if I got drafted that would be cowardly!" because I dont all the way believe that it would, depending on the war. 

         This book is more than that though, more than war. Tears came out of my face once while reading it and Im only halfway through. The above picture is a fourth of what I would consider a piece of artwork. These men are French and they are hopping over their own wire into no man's land toward the Germans, bayonets fixed. They are charging on flat ground with civil war guns toward an army of machine guns, grenades, and artillery mortars! It insane! This picture is one of four surviving stills taken from a propaganda film to promote the war. I could not find the next three but here is what happens. The next still, half of those men are left and a little farther advanced into enemy territory. The next, there are about three of them left. The last, one man, falling. All this happens in a matter of seconds. All those men you see up there died in two or three seconds. Incredible. In the first hour of the first battle of WWI 60,000 British troops were killed. To contrast that just know that in the whole Vietnam war America lost 63,000 men. Astounding. Ok Im done ranting.