Approximately 20% of all war veterans suffer from a mental disorder called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD for short. This continues to affect many soldiers, just like it did in the past. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque is a first person narrative set during World War I about a young boy and his friends’ journey to war. An anti war propaganda, Remarque’s novel debates the corruption of WWI. However, this novel can be used in connection to almost any war, regardless of the time period. Many say that older wars, such as WWI, were extremely different than current ones. Their reasoning usually includes the fact that there are new technology, and strategies on the battlefield. While this is true, the war in Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front and modern warfare contains an extensive amount of similarities regarding the emotional and mental state of the soldiers, specifically their experience with PTSD, reactions to desensitization, and a reduction to animal quality and instinct.
Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front occurs during World War I; however, Paul’s experiences as a soldier can relate to almost any veteran with war experience. Consequently, both WWI and Modern Warfare are extremely similar regarding the the soldiers’ experience with PTSD, which affected their overall mental health. Although discussed under different titles, each era of soldiers experienced this disorder. During WWI, PTSD was commonly referred to as “shell-shock,”