Trench Journal

Self Reflection

2007-11-13T11:28:00.000-08:00

1. I think i did good work. I did the entire assignment, but it was hard to write as a soldier would feel, as I can never truly fathom that experience from a book. It was also hard to find political cartoons, I had to use a few from WWII.
2.I liked this project alot. Partially i liked the topic, which was motivational. Also I like doing projects on the computer, and this style worked well for me.
3. It reflects my learning by me being aple to analyze something and put it into words and journal entries.
4. Honestly, I didnt learn anything about myself.
5. I further learned the hardships of war, such as losing friends and comrades, starving, and being away from home. The lesson I got from this book is that war is a horrible adventure, and that it has nothing to do with those fighting it, just what the leaders who arent fighting want. Living a good long life is more important than glory, because there is little glory for a soldier himself to gain.

Interview Questions

2007-11-13T11:25:00.000-08:00

1. What was the thing that kept you going?

2. What was your greatest fear?

3. What was your favorite combat weapon?

4. What was it like to see people die?

5. Do you feal fear during a battle?

Literary Analysis(Chapter 12)

2007-11-12T20:48:00.000-08:00

A. The war is increasingly bloody. Paul is the last member of his class that enlisted. Paul gets poisoned by gas, and is sent home one last time to heal. He begins to really want to go home. Paul dies in 1918, with a calm face, "All is Quiet on the Western Front".

B. Paul is dead, he can write no letters, for Paul all is quiet on the western front.

C. Vocab.
1. Rowan(Remarque, 295)-the European mountain ash, Sorbus aucuparia, having pinnate leaves and clusters of bright red berries.

D. Political Cartoon

Analysis-

The government was rapidly going through resources, they would take resources when ever they could get their hands on them. They practically begged for their metal to be given.

E. I learned that no matter how experienced and well aquainted with war you are, you still have a high chance of dieng.

Literary Analysis(Chapter 11)

2007-11-12T20:45:00.001-08:00

A. The army is getting weaker, but the war still progresses. Paul begins to forget his life as a civilian. He tells of how horrible war is. He no longer counts the weeks. The Germans are seriusly losing now. Then Kat dies, pauls best friend is gone forever.

B. Recently Kat has died, i feel lost. I feel i can no longer survive, odds are i wont. The German military is declining, it is only a matter of when. I am the last one in my class, i feel like even I wont make it out alive, from this hellish war. I have forgotten who I am, I am lost.

C. Vocab.

1. Banal(Remarque, 272)-devoid of freshness or originality
2. Bushmen(Remarque, 274)-The nomadic hunting and gathering peoples of the Kalahari Desert

D. Political Cartoon
Analysis
In this cartoon it shows how unprepared the U.S was for WWII. It shows a ship saying "disunited states", saying even the states were hardly together. It also has several U.S attitudes such as Isolationism, etc. Showing the bad policies of the U.S.

E. I learned how bad it is to lose your best friend, and be fighting for a lost cause, It makes you feel lost, and you may forget yourself.

Literary Analysis(Chapter 10)

2007-11-12T20:26:00.000-08:00

A. Paul and his friends must defend a supply dump. They get access to a concret shelter with beds and food like eggs, and butter. Paul makes pancakes, and his friends roast pigs. The enemy sees smoke from the building and bombs it, Paul finishes the pancakes, regardless of the bombs. They feast grandly twice. Paul gets wounded along with Kropp, and they go to a hospital. Paul is allowed to go home and heal, and Kropps leg was amputated. Paul has trouble leaving his ever-weaker mother.

B. I had a grand feast, pork, pancakes, and all. It was grand. I lived the good life for weeks. Then Kropp and I were injured by a shell. I was allowed to go home, but poor kropp had his leg amputated. I was lucky to go home. It was hard to leave my poor mother, she was very weak.

C. Vocab.

1. Sentimental(Remarque, 232)-weakly emotional; mawkishly susceptible or tender.

2. Uppish (Remarque, 233)-arrogant; condescending; uppity.

D. Political Cartoons
Analysis
This cartoon shows how the people were expected to share their homes with soldiers. They did not like it.
E. I learned how bad it was to be injured back then, escpecially.

Literary Analysis(Chapter 9)

2007-11-12T19:51:00.000-08:00

A. Paul returns to the front, and finds all his friends alive and in good health. He shares his potato cakes with them. They soon learn that the Kaiser is coming to see the army. They soon realize he is not a great man, and that the war is all about what the leaders want. Paul goes into no mans land, for reconnaissance. A bombardment commences and an attack follows, so paul must play dead to live. An enemy goes in the hole, and Paul stabs him, and watches him die all night. He felt bad and told the soldier he did what he had to.

B. Last night i volunteered to go into no mans land, it was dumb. I killed someone for the first time hand to hand. I felt horrible, as he did not die, but slowly died all night, I tried to comfort him, but I still felt horrible.

C. Vocab.

1. Nape(Remarque, 214) -the back of the neck.

2. Pretence(Remarque, 220)-pretending or feigning; make-believe.

D. Political Cartoon

Analysis

All the men are going off to war, so they are selling farms and leaving.

E. I learned that it is hard to stab a man

Literary Analysis(Chapter 8)

2007-11-12T19:29:00.000-08:00

A. Paul reports to a training camp after his leave. Right nextdoor is russian prison camp, who survive off the garbage from germans. He looks at them and realizes how similar he is to them, that they are not so different. He begins to respect the russians, and hears one of them play a violin which touches paul. His father and sister visit paul and give him cakes. He doesnt want them and wants to give them to the prisoners, but thinks of how hard it was for his mother to make them. So he gives the prisoners 2 cakes.

B. I went to a training camp nextdoor to a russian prisoner camp. I began to respect those prisoners because they are so similar to me. They are not different, the are good people too. It saddens me to see them starving, they live on our garbage. My father and sister came to visit me before I went to the front. they gave me cakes, which I shared with the prisoners.

C. Vocab.

1. Opalescent(Remarque, 188)- having a milky iridescence.

2. Friesland(remarque, 190)-A region of northern Europe on the North Sea between the Scheldt and Weser rivers.

D. Political Cartoon

Analysis

The allies were in constant need of materials. So people could get money off scrap metal easily.

E. I learned how horrible it is to be taken prisoner in war.

Literary Analysis(Chapter 7)

2007-11-12T18:49:00.000-08:00

A. Pauls Company is sent to the rear for reorganization. Himmelstoss finally helps the men, and gives them food, and easy jobs. Paul, along with Leer and Kropp, meet three French women while swimming. They break orders and swim across, with food. Then Paul receives 17 days of leave. When Paul returns home, he discovers his mother has cancer, and he no longer fits in with society in town.

B. This week I went back to a depot for organization. Atleast Himmelstoss finally was helping us. We met some french women, and gave them food, but they pitied us, calling us "poor boys". Then I got leave for 17 days, and went home. I was upset that my Mother had cancer, she could barely move. I felt like an outsider back at home. The men asked what it was like, and they felt like we could win, but thats not true. I had to tell kemmerichs mother how he died, I lied for her sake. I wish I never went home.

C. Vocab.
1. Quartermaster (remarque,141)-an officer charged with providing quarters, clothing, fuel, transportation, etc., for a body of troops.
2.Poplar(Remarque, 143)-the light, soft wood of any of these trees, used for pulp.

D. Political Cartoon

Analysis

This cartoon was in response to continued German u-boat attacks at sea in World War I, and features President Woodrow Wilson.

E. I learned how much war throws you out of place and society.

Literary Analysis(Chapter 6)

2007-11-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

A. The second company must go to the front two days earlier. They see lots of brand new coffins, assuming that they are for their company. They use their experience to listen for new things, they realize the enemy is receiving reinforcements, and that the British have strengthened their artillery. Paul mentions how under-supplied their military is, their artillery is worn out, and a few men have died from shells falling on their own lines. He has close brush with death, after wandering from dugout to dugout, both were destroyed as he went inbetween. He also speaks of a war with the rats, to protect their very limited food. Kat is nervous and they realize their will be a massive bombardment, but it takes days to begin. They are bombarded for an extended period, so food can not be delivered, then the attack comes, the French suffer horendous losses from German machine guns and grenades. Then they counter-attack and storm a small section of enemy trench and steal their food. Then Paul sees Himmelstoss pretending to be wounded, and is disgusted.

B. This week we suffered long bombardments we were directly assaulted. It was horribe, especially since we had been deprived of food for a while. Thats why went to their trenches in the counterattack, and stole their food. It was much higher grade food, we enjoyed it. I saw that sorry Corporal Himmelstoss, he was pretending, or cowering, as a wounded soldier.

C. Vocab.

1. Forebodings(Remarque, 103)-to foretell or predict

2.Calibre(Remarque, 105)-the diameter of the bore of a gun taken as a unit of measurement.

D. Political Cartoon

Analysis

These were the options in america during the war, all men fought, or along with women, worked in the factories.

Literary Analysis(Chapter 5)

2007-11-12T15:24:00.000-08:00

A. Paul describes how horrid the front is. Tjaden had lices, so he scraped them into a tin, and burned them alive. Later on Himmelstoss arrives at the front as punishment for torturing his men at bootcamp. Himmelstoss tries to talk to Tjaden, but Tjaden insults him and then runs off to hide. Tjaden and Kropp are tried for insubordination, but get off with light punishments. Paul and Kat go off and kill the geese for a feast.

B. Today I realize truly how horrid the front is. I watched tjaden scrape lice off with his knife. More importantly we saw Himmelstoss today, we all ignored him. Tjaden insulted him, and was tried with insubordination, but gets off, thankfully. the best thing that happened was the feast of goose we had, food is so scarce in the army, especially good food.

C. Vocab.
1. Louse(Remarque, 75)- any small, wingless insect of the order Anoplura, parasitic on humans and other mammals and having mouthparts adapted for sucking
2. Peat(Remarque, 78)- a highly organic material found in marshy or damp regions, composed of partially decayed vegetable matter: it is cut and dried for use as fuel.

D. Political Cartoon

The americans felt their rights to the sea, american rights, honor, and international law. So the Americans were furious with the Kaiser for allowing the lusitania to be sunk.

E. I learned how horrible the conditions were in WWI.

Literary Analysis(Chapter 4)

2007-11-12T14:46:00.000-08:00

A. Pauls company must go to the front and set up new barbed wire to defend the trenches. He explains that men get caught in it and then subsequently get gunned down by machine gun fire, or blown up by Grenades. Afterwards they must spend the night until they are picked up in the morning. During the night Kat predicted they would be bombarded, he was correct. They get bombed in a graveyard, and then gas bombs start coming. Paul sees a comrade take off his gas mask, and after a couple minutes when he is ok, Paul rips off his map for fresh air.

B. Yesterday and last night we had a gruesome task. We had to put barbedwire up in the front, to defend the trenches. That is a very dangerous job, and we all dreaded it. Afterwards, we had to spend the night in the trenches. We received heavy allied bombardment. We were then hit by gas bombs. It was gruesome. I personally saw several young recruits die as a result of their inexperience.

C. Vocab.

1. Lorries(remarque, 51)-a motor truck, carried troops in the book

2.Embowered(Remarque, 52)-To enclose in or as if in a bower.

D. Political Cartoon
Analysis
The world was initially very skeptical about the idea of the League of Nations. Its flaws and positve qualities were tossed around in a "battle" for the League of Nations. The public did not like League of nations.

E. I learned how brutal bombardment was in WWI. Also I learned how hard it was to watch people die on such a massive scale.

Literary Analysis(Chapter 3)

2007-11-12T11:29:00.000-08:00

A. New recruits arrive to fill the ranks, it makes Paul feel like a veteran. Kat and Kropp were arguing over how to win the war. The soldiers miss the barracks, and would even rather deal with Himelstoss rather than be fighting in the war.

B. Journal Entry

Today new soldiers arrived to fill or ranks. Most of them were young, too young, atleat half were only 1 7. Later on Katczinsky and Kropp were arguing over how to win the war. I didnt care, I just wanted out. We discovered that himmelstoss was coming to the front. Tjaden had a greater grudge than all of us. He is a bedwetter, and was forced to bunk with other bed wetters, so they would urinate on one another, so he very mad.

C. Vocab.

1. Patronizingly- displaying or indicative of an offensively condescending manner.

2. Cobbler-a person who mends shoes.

D. Political Cartoon

Analysis-

This cartoon shows how everyone expected different things from the League of Nations. Everyone was trying to "pull" it different ways.

E. I learned that in war countries get desperate, even so far as to draft young kids, and the elderly.

Literary Analysis(Chapter 2)

2007-11-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

A. Paul looks back on his life before he enlisted. He speaks of his training with Corporal Himmelstoss. He tells of how him and hsi friends were constantly attacked by Himmelstoss and they eventually learned to stand up to him. Also his friend Muller wants Kemmerichs boots. Kemmerich dies at the hospital. Paul was very upset at how neglected Kemmerich was.

B. Paul must feel very upset that he lost his friend. He was mad that his friend died because of neglect, and over-populated hospitals. Also he probably is unhappy about what happened at training.

C. Vocab.

1. Supplely(Remarque, 33)- Moving and bending with agility; limber.

2. Saveloy(Remarque,33)- a highly seasoned, dried sausage

D. Political Cartoon
Analysis-
The Germans criticized the Allies for never attacking unless they outnumbered the enemy by quite a bit. It shows that the allies would only attack if the Germans were hopelessly outnumbered. Now, this is exaggerated, but still true to an extent.

E. I learned that it is hard in war to lose a friend. Paul said that Kemmerich was not his best friend, but he was still upset at his loss.

Literary Analysis (Chapter 1)

2007-11-08T06:38:00.000-08:00

A. Paul does not witness much hardship in this chapter. He mostly talks of his friends and what they are good at. The only hardship he mentions frquently is finding food.

B. Journal Entry-

Today we were very hungry. Thank god that Katczinsky can always find food, or we would all starve. The only good news is that we are not on the

front. We will be returning soon. Looking back on my days before the war I wish Kantorek hadnt convinced us to enlist, but it is to late.

C. Vocab.

Confounded(Remarque, 11)- 1. bewildered; confused; perplexed.
Ostracized(Remarque, 11)- 1. To exclude, by general consent, from society, friendship, conversation, privelages, etc.

D. Polical Cartoon- The temptation for a country to enter the war was captivated from greed and personal gain. This cartoon is explaining the Zimmerman note. The Zimmerman note was when Germny tried to convince Mexico to attack the U.S and they would get back their land that was taken by the U.S. This cartoon also shows that they were doing it behind the United States back.

E. I learned that it is very important to have friends in a war.

Writing Extension

2007-11-06T12:39:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

I Promised you I would write to you. I am not on the front currently, I am in the reserves. I will be heading to the front shortly. Do not worry about my safety, it is not as bad as they say it is. We are well fed, and recently restocked on supplies. Tomorrow we are off to the front, but I am ready. I hope that in a few months that i can return on leave, but I doubt it. Goodbye, I hope you all fare well, and Mother, get well.

From Paul

Lyrics
I've got a friend, he's a pure-bred killing machine,He said he's waited his whole damn life for this,I knew him well when he was seventeen,Now he's a man who'll be dead by Christmas.

And, so...Everybody's going to war,But we don't know what we're fighting for,Don't tell me it's a worthy cause,No cause could be so worthy.

If love is a drug, I guess we're all sober,If hope is a song I guess it's all over,How to have faith, when faith is a crime?I don't want to die...If God's on our side, then God is a joker,Asleep on the job, his children fall over,Running out through the door and straight to the sky,I don't want to die...

For every man who wants to rule the world,There'll be a man who just wants to be free,What do we learn but what should not be learnt?Too late to find a cure for this disease.

so...Everybody's going to war,But we don't know what we're fighting for,Don't tell me it's a worthy cause,No cause could be so worthy.

If love is a drug, I guess we're all sober,If hope is a song, I guess it's all over,How to have faith, when faith is a crime?I don't want to die...If God's on our side, then God is a joker,Asleep on the job, his children fall over,Running out through the door, and straight to the sky,I don't want to die...I-I-I-I I-I-I-I don't want to die,I-I don't want to die...

I've got a friend, he's a pure-bred killing machine,I think he might be dead by Christmas...

Battlefield Orders

2007-11-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

-Weapons-

-Flamethrower: Today we were equipped with a new weapon, a flamethrower. It incinerates men with long stream of fire, it is truly a brutal weapon.

-Tank: today we saw a boxy vehicle on treads, immune to rifle fire, it was slow but strong. Our officers tell is it was the French The Schneider CA1

-Machine Gun: Machine Guns devastate men on the Trench lines. Countless men get tangled in wire, and shot down mercilessly.
-Submarine: Submarines are a relatively new weapon. They are excellent at taking down ships. The U-Boat is the strongest submarine of all. It has sank countless Ships. The only weakness of submarines are depth-charges.
-Airplane: Everyday we sit in the trenches, we are entertained by dogfights, we see the newest weapon of war. It is used for reconnaissance mostly.
-3” Mortar: It is used by Infantry to bombard enemy trenches. It is a devastating weapon, today we used against the French, but we were
-No Mans land is the land between two opposing trenches, usually barren and covered with dead menand craters. Often no mans land, along with the trenches, becomes wetland.

-Gas weapons are fired into enemy trenches and quickly kill all men without gas masks. Mustard Gas, Tear Gas, bertholite, and Phosgene were used.

-The Red Baron was the most successful flying combat ace in WWI. He shot down over 80 planes. His cause of death is debated, most likely from the ground.
-The Schlieffen plan was a plan to defeat France, Russia, and England so that Germany could take power.
-The Assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand helped start the war in addition to the tension already present. The Archduke was heir to The Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was assassinated by a Serbian. The Austro-Hungarians demanded to Serbia to punish those responsible for the assassination. When Serbia didn’t respond, The Austro-Hungarians declared war. They were so many alliances that made all the powers respond. This resulted in war between the Allies and the Central Powers.

-Pals Battalions were units of the British Army that consisted of men who had enlisted together at special local recruiting drives, with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbors and work colleagues rather than having to be mixed in with the regular soldiers of the Army. Ultimately the strategy did not work. It didn’t work because it created disproportionate losses to communities.