Summary Of All Quiet On The Western Front

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the last straw. In October 1914, World War I broke out. Long before the war, the creation of the alliance system and the competition between European countries lead to an increasing tension that spread throughout Europe. As an attempt to resolve the global issues, the Triple Alliance, including Russia, Great Britain, and France, went to war against the Triple Entente, Austria Hungary, Germany, and Italy. The novel All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque eloquently depicts the horrors of war and its disastrous consequences by following the journey of a young German soldier. The protagonist, Paul, experiences and realizes the terrifying realities of war at merely nineteen years

From costly reparations to political instability, the cruel punishments imposed on Germany paved the way for the rise of violent military dictators such as Hitler and the beginning of another world war. After World War I ended, the Allies placed the whole blame of the war on Germany due to its extreme aggression. In fear that Germany would rise to power again and become a future threat, the Allies levied harsh conditions on Germany with the Treaty of Versailles. Article 232 from the treaty requires that Germany pay compensation to the Allied countries for the damages of war (“The Versailles Treaty”). Considering that Germany was already in huge debt paying off its domestic war expenses, it was impossible that Germany would be able to pay back reparations to the Allies in a short term. The debt cycle continued on between Germany, Great Britain, France, and the United States until the Great Depression caused the economy to collapse. Germany made an abortive attempt to solve the problem by printing more money to pay off its debts. Consequently, this worsened the situation; hyperinflation in Germany devastated the lives of the entire German population, people were helpless and in poverty, many even used the worthless currency to cook and make fire (“Konwinski Binder”). In fact, Germany was not able to pay off its war debts until a century later (Smith), emphasizing the lasting impact of war. Not only did the economic crisis cause the German citizens to panic, when Kaiser Wilhelm II fled to exile after the Treaty of Versailles was signed, an unstructured political organization spread fear throughout Germany. People were extremely confused and upset about the war, many did not understand why Germany was to blame. When Hitler started to rise in power, he promised that he would provide people with food and jobs, put an end to war reparations, and restore Germany to its former glory (Smith). Evidently, the immediate response was total