WWI excerpt of book

The Plans of both the Germans and French went on much longer and were different from what they thought the war would entail. The armies fought on for four years and dealt with hardships that included terrible living conditions, the attacks of heavy artillery, and shells that released gas. I did not know that any of this went on during the war and it was interesting to read what happened during World War I.
The Scieffen Plan of the Germans was a realistic plan, but it feel behind schedule and their mistakes along with the strong firepower of the French caused them to be at a standstill. France’s Plan XVII was not much of a plan at all, just having high expectations for the French soldiers. I had no idea that the armies lived in such terrible conditions during the war. The armies mostly lived in mud-filled trenches that sometimes held corpses, had unsanitary conditions, and there was an unbearable stench in many of them. The war had an effect on the mental state of the armies. One man wrote in his diary: ‘Humanity is mad! It must be mad to do what it is doing. What a massacre! What scenes of horror and carnage! I cannot find words to translate my impressions. Hell cannot be so terrible. Men are mad!’ The noise of the bursting shells would make them so afraid, but so would silence. The part that I found the most interesting was about the use of gas during the war. It was first used at the Second Battle of Ypres on April 22, 1915, against the French colonial troops. In the beginning, chlorine, which causes a slow death, was used, but then the use of mustard gas started to become more popular. Mustard gas would rot the body from both inside and out. Both armies, almost right after the first gas attack, took safety measures against it. There were 58,000 gas casualties of the American Army.
The four long years of war caused many casualties and the armies endured many adversities that many people could not dream of having to go through. The excerpt of this book was really interesting to read because I did not know much of anything that went on during World War I.

Letters/Diary Entries WWI Blog

June 17, 1917

I never imagined I would be drafted and be stationed in France. When I am sleeping in the dugout i can feel the huge rats brush up against my leg and the sound of them is terrifying. They have stolen the little food I have out of my pockets, but I would rather have that than them feasting upon myself. I feel as if I am going insane with the thoughts of these beasts.

When I do try to sleep it is awfully difficult because of the stench of dead, rotting corpses. The rats feast upon these even when they aren't even all the way dead. There seem to be an endless amount of rats. I have never smelled anything so terrible as when I am in the trench. Nothing can compare to it. I need to try and get some sleep, so until tomorrow, goodnight.

Johnny Manion

March 21, 1916

My Dear Family,

The other nurses and I are now at a hospital in France. I have become friends with the other girls. I have been doing fine, I just wish the war to be over as quickly as possible so that all of us can come home. The terrible wounds from battle are not nearly as many as those who come in with their poor feet needing to be amputated or in need of care.

I have heard many stories from the men. They talk of the endless days of going without removing their soaking wet boots and socks. It is very similar to frost bite and has caused many men to come to the hospital for it. Sometimes the men went and took socks from the other dead soldiers to include as part of the rationing. I wish they could be supplied with endless amounts of socks and boots. I will keep working hard here and I hope that all the family is well. I love you all.

Love Always,

Mary Chapman

November 23, 1915

Mother & Father,

How are you? I miss you and the whole family. I am doing all right, but i recently discovered that i have chatts. It is such an unpleasant thing. I have blotches all over my skin from them and had to cut my hair to the skull. I dreaded having this done, but someone told me that if i did not, i would get money taken from my pay.

The chatts make all of us so itchy. I don't know how somebody in our battalion first got them, but they were spread very quickly to all of us. I try not to itch because I see the ugly marks it leaves on some of the other men. I have been stationed here in Germany for quite a few months now, but I want to come home.

Love,

Charles Ericson