Writing Extension

Letter:

Dear Family,

I Don's specifically address this letter to any of you for it will be my last entry as a description of what has happened. I feel my end draws near and if by some magic, death escapes me I feel this place has become my home. The last of us, Kat, was killed on our way back to the infirmary. He was shot in the calf and I carried him on my shoulders back to camp only to find while I was transporting him a stray shard had gone through his neck. My existence now is only for what little I can do now for my country. Fresh troops from America and Britain are storming our trenches. We are running low on supplies and it's only a matter of time before we are overrun. If I fail in holding what we have left before the war is over let it be known that I am done. Nothing fulfils me any longer. If we were to enter peace time now, I would have no reason to exist. I embrace the only peace I know.

Love,
Paul




Song:

"No Reason to Exist"

Lost
When the storm hits, you will leave this
Awake
Time will pass through, and break you

Broken, or so you say
Nobody bought that fable anyway
So calloused, and so naïve
To wear a heart of fiction on your sleeve

Bury every sign of life in filth and hollow trend
And push against progression on the path of logic’s end
Like tears flowing upward

Lost, an aimless soul
When the storm hits, you will leave this
Awake to wasted days
Time will pass through, and break you

This wreckage you’ll never be
If you were raised in Hell you’d own the sea
Don’t tell me it’s not your choice
You sold a blessed future for some noise

Bury every sign of life in filth and hollow trend
And push against progression on the path of logic’s end
Like tears flowing upward

Lost, an aimless soul
When the storm hits, you will leave this
Awake to wasted days
Time will pass through, and break you

With every waking second you front, another real life loses ground
Ten thousand arms outstretched and you have the nerve to strike them all
No reason to coexist?
No reason to exist



"Fading Away"

It's in this wake that I find myself
Losing the will to resume this hell
When every breath is a dying wish
It's harder to follow the point of this

This broken place that I call my home
Is deep in the sorrow that I have sewn
And i can't erase what is in my heart
I wanted to finish before it starts

My own solution in discretion again
Our false solution is devoured in dread
Our own solution giving rein to it's head?
and open my face to the darkened sky

I've been fading away
I've been waiting for a call to reach my veins
Ready or not
No attention to waist
Every sorrow of the soul will reap my name
When I cease to exist

Now I've come to a final sleep
I pray that forgiveness is mine to keep
I know it's hard to forgive this man
Driving the failure into your hands

When I cease to exist


I thought these two songs fit paul well in different ways. The first "No Reason to Exist" would be a combination of him confronting the failing "authority" figures in his life with frustration-trying to make them realize that ultimatly, reality breaks through any organized system of control; and the realization that he is now numb to everything but war forming his identity in what will become his death. The second "Fading Away" would be Paul realizing that where he is will get him no where and that he is forced into the dead end of a losing battle against his will and that by now it's to late to make any change. Locked on facing reality and breaking away from ignorance which is called "bliss."



Artwork:

Reality....



Once he reaches the front reality becomes the center of Paul's life. He realizes the narrowing of his destiny through the war and that the last thing left to meet him is indeed, a dead end. Thrust into this through the manipulation of his will at the glorification of service through war; the plain of reality becomes the foundation of his life. what he doesn't realize is that we suffer internal wars everytime we make a decision. These wars just as epic as the physical one he partakes in and grows to embrace. So if war only leads to a dead end and we wage war everyday through our thinking then what is it we intend to accomplish trying to win at life? Life is war, so why do we go through it trying to win... when winning is the end?

Interview

1. What is your position/view on the war as it is?

2. Did you volunteer or were you drafted?

3. What is the first thing you plan to do during peacetime?

4. What is it that you miss most from your life at home?

5. Do you agree with war in general or that it can solve anything?

Pals Battalions

The Pals battalions were units of the British army that was made up of men that had enlisted together through special local recruiting drives which allowed friends and neighbors to be enlisted to serve together as apposed to with people they didn't know. The pros of this method of enrolment was that the army recieved almost twice as many recruits, the cons were that people serving alongside their friends would have to suffer the deaths of those they held dear.

World War One Trenches

Helen Burrey

born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania in 1892 Helen Burry had eight brothers and sisters, two of which survived to adulthood. At the age of 14 she went to work in her fathers department store. She worked there until she entered nursing school at St. Francis Hospital. She graduated from school when she was 22 and volunteered to serve in World War 1 as an army nurse. After the war at the age of 39 she married a 44 year old bachelor and lived a happy life despite the shadow of the depression. Helen Burrey died at the age of 95.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination is said to be what instigated World War 1. Gavrilo Princip was one of the group of six assassins (coordinated by Danilo Ilić) who produced the Archduke's death. The Objective of the endeavor was to break off the south-slav provinces from Austria-Hungary so they could be combined into a Greater Serbia or a Yugoslavia.

Schlieffen Plan

The Schlieffen Plan, created by Alfred Graf von Schlieffen, was basically a strategy after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 to prevent Germany from having to fight future wars on two different fronts at once. The plan was to invade France before they could mobilize their troops and conquer Paris in 39 days. Afterwards focus on defeating Russia due to their difficulty in mobilizing a substantial amount of troops. The setbacks that they did not take into account was the Belgium Resistance. Though small it was enough to delay Germany for a month where as they should have invaded France. Alfred Graf von Schlieffen resigned in 1906 which left Helmuth von Moltke with the position of German chief of staff. The choices he made to modify the plan ultimatly are what doomed the Germans before it was even executed. One of these substancial changes was not to go through the Netherlands but through belgium alone and the other was to pull significant numbers of troops away from the main force entering France from the north, in order to fortify the forces in Alsace-Lorraine, and the forces at the Russian border.

The Red Baron

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen was a German fighter pilot known as "The Red Baron." He was the most successful flying ace of WWI having scored 80 recorded kills before his death by a single .303 bullet from a Canadian flyer piloting a camel. He was initially a reconnaissance observer over the Eastern Front but on being transferred to the Champagne front, he managed to shoot down a French Farman aircraft with his observer's machine gun. He was not accredited with this kill on acount of it taking place in allied territory. He later claimed another unrecorded kill after he joined Kampfgeschwader 2. Following the success he met fighter pilot Oswald Boelcke who asked him to join the new Jagdstaffel, Jasta 2. Von Richthofen then won his first victory over Cambrai, France, on September 17, 1916.

Poisonous Gasses

The different gasses used were generally of two different categories. One of disabling gas and the other of lethal. The disabling gasses included tear gas and mustard gas which were most feared for their long drawn out and painful effects. The lethal gasses were those such as Phosgene which were guaranteed to kill.

No Mans Land

"No Mans Land" is the physical area of land between either armies territories. No one dares advance into the forbidin area for fear of bombardment by enemy forces.

Flamethrowers

Flamethrower (Flammenwerfer)







The Flamethrower was first invented by the Germans having been developed by Richard Fiedler. he came up with two models. One small and portable for one man use with a range of an impressive 18 meters. The other (the Grossflammenwerfer), had twice the range and could maintain fire for up to 40 seconds. Their introduction against French and British troops proved most effective, but assaults become more difficult once enemy forces overcame the shock of their use. The users of the weapon became priority targets and because of the explosive caracteristics of the cylinder carried on the backs of the users, it provided the carriers with a short life span.

Submarines

British Submarines





The British Navy was the only sourse of underwater assault technology. the development of the submarine began in 1900 and took 18 years to become a reasonable war machine, but until then the submarine was a crude vehicle.


“Submariners feel as much superior to the ordinary ‘big-ship’ mattaloe as a high-caste Hindu does to his low-caste brother. To be sent back to general service (the result of inefficiency on a submarine) reacts on them like a nail on a pneumatic tyre.” (W G Carr)
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/british_submarines_1900_to_1918.htm

Aircraft

German Aircraft





A.E.G. G IV
Albatros D.I- fighter
Albatros D.II- fighter
Albatros D.III- fighter
Albatros D.V- fighter
Aviatik B.I- Reconnaissance
Fokker D.II- fighter
Fokker D.VI- fighter
Fokker D.VII- fighter
Fokker D.VIII- fighter
Fokker DR.I- fighter
Fokker E.I- fighter
Gotha G.V.- heavy bomber
Halberstadt D.II- fighter
Halberstadt CL.II- fighter
Halberstadt CL.IV- fighter
Hannover CL.III- fighter
Junkers J.I- observation
Junkers D.I- observation
Junkers CL.I- ground attack
L.V.G. C.II- Reconnaissance
Pfalz D.III- fighter
Pfalz D.XII- fighter
Roland D.II- fighter
Rumpler C.IV VII- fighter
Siemens D.III- fighter
Siemens Schuckert D.IV- fighter
Taube- reconnaissance
Zeppelin Staaken R.VI- Bomber (night bomber)




American Aircraft





Curtiss Jenny JN 4- was the only american aircraft used for training purposes




Russian Aircraft





Anadwa VKh- light bomber
Anatra DS- reconnaissance
Lebed VII- trainer
Mosca MB 2bis- fighter
Saveljev Quadriplane- reconnaissance
Sikorsky Mourometz V- four engine bomber
Sikorsky S 16- fighter scout
Torpedo, Olkhovskij- fighter
Voisin Ivanov- fighter
Voisin LAS- tested

Armoured Vehicles

Armoured Car





The first armoured cars armour-plated, open-topped vehicles with machine guns or other light guns or artillery pieces. Most used by the British the more popular form was the Napier produced in 1912. The design had different bodies which which provided the vehicle with multiple functions.


Armoured cars were used on the Western Front but they were limited in trench warfare because they could not handle very uneven terrain. The British army used armoured cars with great success in Palestine and in Mesopotamia.




Mark V Tank





The Mark V tank became available in July 1918. It contained a new Ricardo engine that had been specially designed for the tank. With new transmission and better gears, the tank could travel at nearly 5 mph. To help the tank tackle the wide trenches of the Hindenburg Line, cribbs were carried. This was a braced cylindrical framework which when dropped in the trench acted as a kind of stepping stone.


At Amiens Colonel John Fuller managed to persuade General Henry Rawlinson to use 342 Mark V and 72 Whippet tanks, followed by soldiers and supported by over 1,000 aircraft. The strategy worked and the Allies managed to breakthrough the German frontline.




Schwerer Kampfwagen A7V German Tank





In response to the wave of tanks the German forces immediately demanded their own landships. They brought together the greatest engineering minds of the country and decided Josef Vollmer would be the one to disign it. By 1917 the first of the 100 ordered tanks were ready for use. Though it had thicker armour and sprung tracks make it a better tank than the British tanks, the A7V was less successful as a battle vehicle.

Maxim Gun





Invented by Hiram Maxim the Maxim gun is capable of firing 400-600 rounds per minute. In one engagement, fifty police of the Rhodesian character company fought off 5,000 Matabele warriors with just four Maxim guns. It was then adapted by the Vickers Company and was used for another 70 years. The guns were positioned all along the western front and reqired a crew of three to six men to opperate. machine gunners became hated and were more likly to be killed if captured than other soldiers.




The Hotchkiss





The Hotchkiss was invented by Benjamin Hotchkiss as an improved cannon shell. in 1872 it a was revolving-barrel machine gun but was later addapted in 1875 as a bolt-action magazine rifle. It was mainly used by the French army.




Maschinengewehr





The standard machine-gun used by the German Army during the early stages of the First World War. The Maschinengewehr is almost a direct copy of the Maxim Machine-Gun. It fired 7.92mm ammunition from a 250-round fabric belt. 12,000 of these machine-guns were deployed on the Western Front during August 1914. It had a practical range of 2,200 yards and an extreme range of 4,000 yards.

Weapons (Guns)

Maxim Gun





Invented by Hiram Maxim the Maxim gun is capable of firing 400-600 rounds per minute. In one engagement, fifty police of the Rhodesian character company fought off 5,000 Matabele warriors with just four Maxim guns. It was then adapted by the Vickers Company and was used for another 70 years. The guns were positioned all along the western front and reqired a crew of three to six men to opperate. machine gunners became hated and were more likly to be killed if captured than other soldiers.

World War I

Self-Reflection

1. I find the whole concept of war fascinating. I love the philosophical standpoint you can argue on this through Paul's experience. The great thing about the interpretation of literature is that what you interpret and the way you produce and comprehend information is unique to you and you only

2. I really did enjoy this project I learned so much history and methods of war through the research I did and I always enjoy applying my music that I'm so passionate about to situations and peoples lives. I especially love analyzing war and the things people's minds go through because of it. It was also convenient that we could do this project online where I'm so accustomed to putting forth an effort.

3. The battle feild orders reflect my learning because I basically summarized all the reaserch I did from memory and I really feel it was the equivalent of taking an online history class in which I pride myself in having learned by my responsibility. The rest of the project reflects what i have learned because I took what I felt were the most important areas of the story that brought out the overall theme of what it means to be at war.

4. I've learned that we face these terrible morbid trageties everyday in the choices that we make and we are such twisted and perverted human beings that we are numb to them. It's caused me to look at what I am.

5. I Leanred that life is war, and that as long as we are trying to win we will lose. victory goes to those that already know thay have won.