Conditions of the Trenches The conditions of the trenches in WWI were unbearable. These conditions were unbearable because of the rats and the different gases that were released. Many soldiers died in the trenches due to the conditions, not just from fighting. There were rats down in the trenches. (Remarque 101) The rats ate all of the soldier’s food, and contaminated all of their belongings with droppings.
5 The conditions of the battle of the Somme were not ideal. There was had been lots of rain prior and during the battle. The trenches were full of mud, rats and diseases. The mud made moving around in the trenches very hard which led to many cases of trench foot and also the mud made some on the Canadian’s guns not fire. There were many rats in the trenches because of the rotting bodies which led to disease spreading like lice.
Screams would take place for three days before the people actually passed away from the wounds. Blood also streamed out of pits for towns people to see. Greasy windows and smells also hit the towns from the pits. The tragic events that took place in the pits and the making of the pits are something that will stick with me forever. This event stood out to me the most and the reason why was I was completely blindsided by it.
You will not believe the conditions I have been living in. They are somewhat cruel, disgusting, dreadful and fearful. Something even I am to disturbed to look at is the rat infestation, mom you know how much I hate rats, well now I basically live with them, like they’re my pets. Millions of rats would gorge themselves on human remains. Other pests that are available here are frogs, they’re found in shell holes and in the base of our trenches.
One account mentioned a dead human arm, which stuck out of the trench wall, and all the soldiers shook the hand as they walked by. Another disillusionment factor was that the soldiers had to share their living space with rats and lice. Rats were said to get as big as cats and lice were ludicrously out of hand. Most likely the worst part of the trenches was the occasional assault of various toxic gases. These gases tortured its victims for anywhere from 48 hours to a full 5 weeks before killing them.
Well, that is exactly what it is like living in these trenches. The smell alone is awful. It is a smell of gas, sadness, fear, and rotting flesh. I have no words to explain this horrible stench. I find it very difficult to keep myself strong, watching young men around my age falling on top of each other.
However it causes me great sorrow that we have lost 3500 of our own men. All of us fought in this battle to show that we were capable of planning and carrying out a successful attack. Throughout this war, I was scared Emily because my life was under constant threat, bullets were being randomly fired at us, I was seeing men die all around me from a bullet or because of fever and disease, I am thankful and proud that I survived this war. I love you so much and I can’t wait to see you and the children at
Ashes, ashes: the church burned the dead when burying them became too laborious. We all fall down: dead (Cartwright 42). The Dance of Death, or also know as danse macabre, shows skeletons mingling with living men in daily scenes (Knox, Boisestate.edu). Since death was everywhere, artists were clear to show that death was amongst everyone and that the plague had no remorse or mercy. It killed everyone it came in contact
In the novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, Paul experiences many atrocious war events which leave him scarred and damaged emotionally, but in the same way other characters carry physical burdens and other such objects. While stranded in a ditch, Paul stabs a French soldier who unsuspectingly falls into the same ditch. Yet as the man slowly dies, Paul regrets this action, wishing “If only he had run two yards farther to the left, he might now be sitting in the trench over there and writing a fresh letter to his wife” and promising “I will help [your wife] and your parents too, and your child…” (Remarque 118). Paul then begins to doubt his action of survival and he allows his mind to become dominated with repentance. This experience leaves him emotionally wounded by the way that the French solider dies and Paul feels responsible for it.
Judge Steven on the other hand seems to notice that it is the smell of decomposition coming from the home when he states “it’s probably just a snake or rat that nigger of hers killed in the yard”. (Faulkner 31). Both quotes show that the smell could have been caused by the servant but it doesn’t explain what the smell really was and why it is strong enough for the entire town to notice the smell. At a last attempt to alleviate the stench some of the townsmen sprinkle lime inside her cellar and around here entire house, however the smell stayed for another week or two. (Faulkner 31).