The effects of war are often unavoidable, but all is endured for survival. With machinery that can demolish buildings into ruble, men scatter around for cover. Both sides of the war gave it their all. In “Rite of Spring: The Great War and the Birth of the Modern Age,” war is represented as a catastrophic event, one that is not avoidable. To die for each other’s country is the honorable thing to do. With the fifteen-inch-caliber guns, the British take their place. Following behind with “Big Bertha,” the Germans carry their seventeen-inch-caliber weapon. “In August 1914 these huge machines of war had demolish the purportedly impregnable forts of Liege.” (Eksteins ), Everyone had their fighting style. The German and French attacked all at once, trying to drive the opponents away as they gained closer to their opposition. The British believed in a uniformed way of combat, never leaving behind their territory. They would stand their ground until the end. Trenches were often used in this style of combat. The corpse would cause rodents to appear, and gave the already struggling soldiers more suffering. The soldiers made the best of it, as they killed the rodents as a sport, but regardless of their playfulness, the seriousness of war was not far behind. Once winter approached, the men suffered more. Ice was described to be everywhere, the cold-hearted soldiers, could not avoid the harsh conditions. Overall, the passage “Rite of Spring: The Great War and the Birth of the Modern Age,” depicts the harsh conditions of war and the progress of suffering it has left behind overtime.
The passage “The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway 1987,” has a similar effect as “Rite of Spring: The Great War and the Birth of the Modern Age,” but in a less descriptive way. Suffering is endured in both readings, but in Krebs's approach, the effects are more psychological. Nobody mentions war, they know the obvious outcome of it, but chose to stay quite. It is made present that Krebs himself, was impacted quite severely. Returning back from the war, he is rendered useless. Not literally, but in an emotional way. He no longer feels loves, and sees no point in getting a girl. He lost hope, just waiting to admit defeat to himself, His parent approach him and ask him to try to find a job, a girl to settle down with, and wish that by doing that, their son will hopefully get better. Krebs does not think much of it, but follows his mother’s request, for he does not want to hurt her. It is then made clear that war has a longing effect on an individual, regardless of the content. War is devastating ordeal, that is often forgotten by the citizens, but never by the soldiers.
