All Quiet on the Western Front

Author: Lei Ma Ke Guo Zhi Lan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-02-01
Features: This book is not an accusation, nor is it a declaration of freedom. It merely attempts to tell the story of that generation, who, even if they escaped the shells, were ultimately destroyed by war. All Quiet on the Western Front is largely a semi-autobiographical novel. The author lets the protagonist "I" narrate his personal experiences and witnessed facts during the World War. The content is extraordinarily realistic, coupled with vivid descriptions, fully exposing the horror and cruelty of war. In the author's portrayal, the "steel soldiers" who rushed to the front line under the incitement of jingoism neither displayed heroic prowess in defeating the enemy nor performed noble acts of "defending the motherland." At most, they were "heroes" who exterminated rats and lice, exchanged military rations for the affections of women in occupied territories, and killed to survive and kill in order to kill. "They were destroyed by war even if they escaped the shells."