Charles Yale Harrison's Generals Die In Bed

“Generals die in bed” by Charles Yale Harrison.

can teach lessons to the modern reader.

Generals die in bed is an anti-war novella written by Charles Yale Harrison that follows the experiences of an unnamed young soldier who signed up to fight in the war, not knowing the horrifying reality. Like many war novels at the time, it is based on Charles Yale Harrison's true experiences in combat. The novels’ themes are of the vanity of war and the naivety of young soldiers who are forced to live through horrific trench life. Even though events of the novel occurred over 100 years ago, it is still relevant today to teach the modern reader valuable lessons, like how dehumanizing war is to soldiers, the impacts on their mental health, and the futility

War was advertised as an exciting and honourable thing to be a part of, and it was expected of young boys to enlist, from the community and their peers. But as we know now, this is far from the truth. “Generals die in bed” by Charles Yale Harrison opens with an introduction that tears down the glorious image of “charging into battle atop a silver steed, brandishing a sword “and unapologetically details the reality these young men were living in. It goes on to describe how soldiers would huddle together in rat-infested trenches, praying not to die while hearing bombs go off in the distance. Therefore, it was a startling realization for thousands of

Modern readers can think about the consequences of engaging in a conflict that will not better humanity. Ultimately, war has very little benefit for everyone involved. “Generals die in bed” by Charles Yale Harrison makes you think critically about the motives behind military actions and makes you think about peaceful ways to solve conflict. Moreover, you are left wondering if war is as necessary as it is made out to be, or if it's even worth it in the beginning, when there are other ways to solve a conflict that don't end with millions