The Complexities of War
By: Hayley Jean
Down with War!
All soldiers are victims of the war. They are mentally and physically exhausted and war has done damage that can never be undone. Men continue to die everyday and live in a constant fear of being attacked. No one should have to endure what soldiers go through, which is why we should stop war altogether. In the poem, Dulce Et Decorum Est, the author talks about how he had seen men die right before him, scrambling to get their gas masks while choking on toxic fumes. He goes on to explain how nothing can be unseen, which is shown in the line "In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, he plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning". This shows how much of a mark that war left on the soldiers. It was portrayed to be positive and fun, meanwhile in reality it was far from this. He goes on to talk about how there is nothing honorable about killing innocent people and the youth of England must understand this. He believes that they might change their views if they could experience the trauma of the war for themselves. Overall, war is very damaging and nobody should be promoting something that they have not fought in themselves.
Anti-War Propaganda
This photo was apart of the Anti-war movement. It shows how people were beginning to recognize how bad the war was after hearing stories from returning soldiers. It was originally only promoted in a positive way and eventually, people began to realize the negative effects of war.
Stop the War!
Before entering the war, nationalism was high throughout the United States. In Jessie Pope's poem, The Call, she does nothing but promote the war. She tries to promote was in a positive way by writing things like "Who longs to charge and shoot-Do you, my laddie?" She falsely advertises the war and does not let people know the truth about it. War took a toll on many of the soldiers in a negative way and this is also seen in the poem, War is Hell". The author of this poem states" War is hell. Anyone who has been is sure to tell it's the politicians who are quick to send sons and daughters who aren't theirs, to hell". He talks about how the journalists' and everyone promoting the war were fast to put people that they didn't know in. They knew that war was a terrible place, but continued this sense of nationalism to get people excited to fight for their countries. Overall, war should be stopped because the only outcomes of it are negative and it leads to many unnecessary deaths.