The article discusses the irony of World War I, characterized by its trivial beginnings and immense suffering. Soldiers went to fight for causes that seemed meaningless, and by 1917, many recognized the futility, leading to mutinies and desertions. Poets and writers captured this despair, depicting the horrific conditions and senselessness of the conflict. Overall, the war showcased humanity's folly, a theme embodied in Erich Maria Remarque's modern war writing which profoundly influenced the genre.
'Every war begins in blind folly and ends in unimagined suffering. This is true of all wars but especially of the First World War.'
'By 1917, the meaninglessness of the sacrifice had become clear enough to the combatants, if not to civilians back home: French and Russian troops mutinied, tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides deserted.'
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