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Grace Schumacher’s Report on @thisdayinwwi and @ww1photos_info

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@THISDAYINWWI

Brief Summary

Out of the seven potential Instagram pages presented as options for this assignment, this particular profile appealed to me. It commits to posting a photograph or video of a World War One event that corresponds to the date of the post. Hence, the profile name is “This day in World War One.” For example, a post uploaded on February 1, 2022 will display an image/event/video of an event that took place on February 1st, 1914-1918. The account has 44.3k subscribers and is a public page, meaning that there is no request process in order to view the creator’s content. The demographic trend is toward a diverse population, with followers of the page ranging from private individuals of all ages and backgrounds to other fellow “history accounts.” As a follower of this page, I felt a connection to the content as it transcends time to educate and pique the interest of followers and avid historians.

Media

February 2, 1918: Gas school near Albert, FR of Serbian Army officials examining the special outfit of a liquid fire projector.

The media posted on this page is not biased against or for one particular “side” of the war. The content ranges from French “gas schools” to images of British soldiers at the front as well as propaganda posters from multiple countries. The quality of the photographs and videos, despite them being digitized and over 100 years old, is clear and the images are recognizable.

February 10, 1917: Extricating a British soldier from the mud of the Somme district.
February 19, 1918: Near Ytres, France horse-drawn artillery limber struggling through the mud.

This impartial approach to exhibiting the every-day lives of both soldiers, civilians, as well as government officials is effective in presenting history accurately and informatively while also doing so in an “story-telling manner.” The admin of the page is consistent in giving credit to the creators, photographers, artists, and publishers of the content and has demonstrated themselves to be a reliable source of information. A majority of the content comes from collections of the Imperial War Museum (IWM) in Manchester, UK.

January 29, 1917: Royal Irish Regiment training with rifle grenades in Salonika, Greece.

Over the course of following this account, I found that much of the content provides visuals that assist in my personal understanding of some of the concepts, events, and technologies taught about in class. For example, the images attached above relate to events that occur within the texts we discuss during class.

In Smithy’s faux-dialogue with Mother and Mrs. Evans-Mawnington (Not So Quiet), she mentions her mother’s excitement at the use of “liquid fire.” Smithy goes into detail, describing the condition of a boy who was unlucky enough to have been on the receiving end of it (Smith 95). The first photograph of the soldier wearing the protective equipment is haunting, as we can almost imagine ourselves facing a cloaked enemy spewing fire in our direction.

The Redeemer, a poem by Siegfried Sassoon, paints a picture of the miserable conditions of the trenches at the front. The second and third picture above, reminded me of the threat mud posed at the front. It was source of sickness and infection, a hindrance to mobilizing soldiers, and often the cause of their death. The picture of a British soldier being removed from the mud by his comrades, credited to Christopher Clark, again provides us with a harsh and realistic visual of hardship at the front.

Captioning Information & SUBSCRIBER INTERACTIONS

The captions beneath the post range from short to long in length, however, still present enough information for the viewer to accurately interpret what they are seeing in the photograph. The captions are arranged in the same format across all posts: date in history, location and description of media, followed by a reference to the source of information/content.

Post by @thisdayinwwi from February 6, 2022.

The comment sections underneath the posts are not overwhelming, most comments left by followers are of an appreciative nature rather than questions posed to the admin.

Conclusion

Overall, I found this Instagram page to be interesting and informative. The content posted was always WWI related and I enjoyed the experience of being able to view events on the day that they happened over 100 years ago.

@WW1PHOTOS_INFO

Brief Summary

Again, out of the seven potential Instagram pages presented as options for this assignment, this profile stuck out to me as I noticed a common theme across its posts. @ww1photos_info is unique in that, with the exception of one or two photographs, it strictly displays pictures identifying soldiers alongside a quote or experience from their life. The account has 154k subscribers and is a public page, meaning that there is no request process in order to view the creator’s content. The demographic trend is, again, a diverse population. Followers of the page range from private individuals of all ages and backgrounds to other fellow “history accounts.” The admin of this account did a wonderful job giving a voice to individuals who might have been otherwise forgotten. The narratives are richly written despite the Instagram caption word-limit and are effective in evoking a range of emotions.

(WARNING: SLIGHT NUDITY IN BELOW PHOTOGRAPH)

Media

To reiterate, it is impressive that the quality of the photographs, despite them being digitized and over 100 years old, are clear and the images are recognizable. This particular account collaborates with a specialized historian to colorize the otherwise black and white photos. In my personal opinion, we often associate B&W photographs with being “old” and consider them to be “from a long time ago,” which distances us from the subjects in the photographs. The colorized aspect, I feel, paints life into the soldiers’ faces and is one of the factors working to invoke a feeling of closeness with these individuals through their pictures.

1916: German soldiers during a toilet break on a “Donnerbalken.”

I really enjoyed the content on this page (no, not because of the male buttocks) as it does an excellent job in selecting candid photographs that capture the ranges of emotions soldiers feel whilst at the front. This particular photograph, conveys feelings of camaraderie, closeness and desensitization, all of which soldiers develop at the front. It is reminiscent of the “business” scene in All Quiet on the Western Front and drives home the shift in thinking many soldiers learned to adapt to.

“We have learned better than to be shy about such trifling immodesties. In time things far worse than that came easy to us… Enforced publicity has in our eyes restored the character of complete innocence to all these things” (Remarque 8).

1916: French soldiers resting at the Gare de l’Est train station in Paris, FR

This profile did not shy away from addressing issues such as depression, coping mechanisms and gore. The photograph above depicts French soldiers waiting for a train to transport them to the front after a period of leave in Paris. The admin writes that the haggard state of the men is likely due to rigorous drinking done the night before. In Hemingway’s Farewell to Arms, we are introduced to the presence of alcoholism in World War One and how it became a crutch and/or escape for many of the men involved in the war.

March 15-16, 1916: Combat shot of German soldiers launching an attack during the Battle of Verdun.

CaptioninG Information & SUBSCRIBER INTERACTIONS

While the subjects of the photograph are compelling to observe, the narratives and stories posted alongside them ask the viewer to acknowledge and appreciate the subject’s struggles and triumphs. Together with the colorization of the photos, the detailed accounts and deep-dive into history inspire feelings of reflection and empathy. The photograph below depicts a French soldier, Pierre, writing a letter to his wife on September 22, 1916. I have selected and written out an excerpt from the letter, as the captioning was too long to fit in a single screenshot.

1916: French soldier writing a letter during the Battle of Verdun.

“My dear Édith, life here is very hard. In the trenches, the stench of the dead reigns. Rats invade us, parasites eat our skin; we live in the mud, it invades us, slows us down, and tears our boots. The cold is added to these tortures. This icy wind which freezes our bones, it hunts us every day. At night, it is impossible for us to sleep. To must be ready at any moment, ready to attack, ready to kill. To kill, that is the focal point of our existence. They keep telling us that you must kill to survive, but I prefer saying live to kill. This is how I exist every minute in this inferno. Without hygiene. Without rest. Without you. Without life. This is nothing compared to the morbid trenches they send us to. On the battlefield, one finds nothing but corpses, poor soldiers rotting on the blood-soaked ground. The shells, the mines, they destroy everything in their path. Everything is in ruins. The stench of mass graves, the sound of the cannons, the screams of comrades…I write this letter to you when I should be alongside the others, fighting for my country. Our country doesn’t aid us much. They send us to massacre men while they sit at their desks; but in reality, I’m sure they’re terrified of death.”

1916: German soldiers posing for a photograph with captured rats at the entrance of a dug-out.

German soldier Søren P. Petersen reported of his challenges with rats on January 23, 1916:

“In the basements below the shattered houses we lay in reserve. The quarters would’ve been more than comfortable had we not been forced to share them with an uncountable amount of rats. The selfish bastards devoured everything that was somewhat edible, and all foodstuffs we couldn’t store away we had to hang up with string from the ceiling. They crept in under our blankets when we were sleeping and ran across our faces, but I never once heard of anyone being bitten by them.”

The comment section on almost all of the photographs posted to this account hold large amounts of questions from subscribers. What I found to be impressive was the admin’s interactions with their followers and consistency in answering the numerous questions with lengthy and informed responses.

Conclusion

This account is one that I will continue to follow even after the conclusion of this assignment. The admin of this profile posts multiple pictures every day and never fails to caption them with long, touching stories as well as accurate historical backgrounds.

Terrencia Johnson’s review of “A Farewell to Arms” 1957

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The 1957 A Farewell to Arms film directed by Charles Vidor was a delightful film that tied together the excellent writing of Ernest Hemingway perfectly. Something that is mentioned at the very beginning of the film is that this story is a love story, not a war story. This allows the viewers to not expect many harsh visual focusing on the war but rather allows us to remember to focus on our main characters and the journey they go through. Throughout the entire film we see a wide range of different landscapes. Specifically in the opening credits we get to see the beautiful scenery of Italy that sets the viewer up for where we are and where this film will begin. For a 65-year-old film, the visuals and camera quality are amazing. I was very impressed on how clear the scene was and how nicely edited the film was. If I did not know the year this film was released, I could honestly say I would think this film came out in at least the 1990’s. If you are debating on whether you want to watch the film first or read the book first, definitely read the book first. It was interesting to watch how scenes played out in an actual visual. I felt as though this gave me a clearer opinion of certain events or conversations that occurred in the book. Although the story line was the same as the original writing of Hemingway, there were some minor changes that you will only pick up on if you read the book prior to viewing the film. I do not believe these changes took away from the story but added a deeper meaning to the story line. In this film there was foreshadowing of something very important. I do not want to spoil it for those who have not read the book to understand the importance but as you watch, try focusing on the visuals of children within the film and how they are represented throughout. It will give a lot of contexts to a big moment in the film. Rock Hudson, who played as Fredric Henry, was able to really capture the role as Henry. He was a natural for this role and seemed to give his all within his performance. Jennifer Jones, who played as Catherine Barkley, also tapped into the role of Catherine perfectly. While at first, I discredited her acting in certain scenes, I realized that based on Catherine’s personality, she mirrored her exactly as she would have behaved. The chemistry between Hudson and Jones was strong and it showed throughout the entire film. It was as though they were genuinely in love and going through all there obstacles together. This really made the viewer feel sympathy for the two all throughout the movie. One thing that seemed very interesting was the feel that time was going by so quickly, compared to in the novel time was slowed down. I appreciated this in the film because there was not a bunch of fluff throughout it and the transition of new scenes had a pace that was not confusing to the viewer. Overall, the film was very well put together and was a direct visual that demonstrated the truth behind Hemingway’s words. I leave you with one quote from the film and the novel, “You never have a chance to learn”. As you watch this film, keep that in mind, it is amazing how much power those seven words have.

All Quiet on The Western Front 1930 Film Review

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Alexis Stenberg

All Quiet on the Western Front is a movie based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque. The novel has been reviewed to be the greatest war novel of all time. So, this movie had high expectations. This review will be on the original 1930 movie adaptation of the novel. My overall review of the film was that it was solid adaptation of the novel. I value a movie that is based off of a novel, to stay true to the original story. This film does just that. Some events take place differently than they do in the novel, but it doesn’t change the overall narrative of the story. Even as a movie by itself, I still believe that it is a great film with great characters and even fantastic film making.

Just like in the novel, the movie follows a group of young men who enlist in the German Army during World War I. The protagonist is Paul, who is played by Lew Ayres. Ayres did a fairly good job playing Paul. There were some scenes that Ayres did very well at, while others could have been better. Lew Ayres did have a difficult task acting Paul’s character. In the novel, we only read the story from Paul’s point of view. So it’s easy to read how Paul is feeling and thinking throughout the novel. But in a movie Ayres needed to portray these emotions. The scene that Lew Ayres acted very well was the scene when Paul is in the hospital with his dying friend Kemmerich, played by Ben Alexander. This is a short but powerful scene in the film. Ayres did a great job when portraying Paul’s emotions throughout this scene. However, a different scene that Ayres could have done better was the scene where Paul is stuck in a fox hole with another Italian solider that he just killed. This is an infamous moment in the novel. As the reader you really get into the mind of Paul and comprehend the war and his emotions around him. Lew Ayres did a good job, it was just missing something for me while watching it. I feel like if you haven’t read the novel, this scene would come off as a little confusing. I think if Lew Ayres were able to express a little more emotion of what happens in the scene it could have been better.

One thing that has to be acknowledged with this film was the scenes of the war. Today, this movies practical effects would be extremely subpar. But this film was made in the 1930s, cinema was just starting off and films were relatively good natured and didn’t show explicit scenes. This film was actually banned in many countries at the time for how graphic the movie was. When we think of war movies today, we tend to think of very graphic and bloody scenes like the beginning of the film Saving Private Ryan. This film managed to show the terror of war without almost any blood on screen. That is amazing and goes to show that this film stands out among other war films.

Overall, this film was accurate adaptation of the original novel and even of World War I. Even though the film cut out a few parts from the novel, it stayed true to the original story. I truly believe that this film helped portray and even help those who have served in wars and will be a staple of World War I cinema. There is one scene where Paul is fighting at the front for the first time and he witnesses an Italian solider grab a part of the barbed wire fence, and a bomb hits him. All that is left of the Italian solider are his hands still holding on to the fence. That is an image that I, like Paul, will remember for the rest of my life.

Marisol Powell’s report on the website ‘Historiana Timeline in Postcards’

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The link for ‘Historiana Timeline in Postcards’ drops you into a simple yellow page with a few paragraphs describing the purpose of the site, along with thirteen postcards to click into. Some titles are in English and others are written in German. Postcards are time capsules into people’s thoughts and cultural norms of the time. The typical uniforms and perspectives on the war are revealed in both the propaganda riddled art and grim realistic writing on the other side. The introductory paragraphs discuss how, as the war went on, the writings on the back of the postcards became bleaker. There was a clear dip in morale. The color scheme is immensely telling of this shift in behavior, with the first postcard in 1914 filled with bright yellows, reds, blues, and purple to a black and white image of the ruins from a fire in 1917. In order to read the contents of the postcard, you must click the image and then the highlighted blue source at the bottom. This seems to bring you to a white page. Sadly, these all contain broken links. I was shocked to find this and decided to look into the website Historiana itself.

With a quick Google search, I found the updated website with the now fixed link: https://historiana.eu/historical-content/source-collections/world-war-i-postcards. A new introductory paragraph is written here with relatively the same message. Postcards from World War I function as conduits from the Front to civilians at home. The paragraph then delves into the history of the postcard and discusses the pre-printed messages that began to spring up, as well as the censorship of the men who wrote more realistic accounts of the horror on the battlefield. The images are valuable to historians and students alike who wish to glimpse a snapshot of the time. In the updated link, they carry many different languages rather than just British, American, and German. Plenty of Italian postcards grace this webpage.

There were different themes on display with many images containing religion or pulling upon the heartstrings in other photos. One of my favorite postcards was the embroidered ones. ‘1918’ was sewn into silk that was glued to the postcard with the different flags of the nations involved. This was a very popular souvenir amongst British soldiers but was not a cheap purchase due to the silk. Another unique postcard was a set of ten that created one image of a French soldier blowing a horn. Each card was from Ireland to France for soldiers to collect along the way. 

Patriotism was a common and popular thing to depict on postcards, selling especially well amongst the British soldiers and civilians alike. Men marching and doing valiant deeds, whether drawn or photographed, were at the center of many. Women were consistently depicted as countries as allegories for peace or patriotism. Other forms of women functioned as encouragement with depictions of their families eagerly waiting for their men to return home. This was particularly common in the array of sentimental Christmas Cards you could explore. One of the more particularly moving pieces of propaganda depicted a little girl praying for her dad to return safely with a small image of a generic man. 

Since the original link: https://historiana.eu/collection/world-war-1-postcards is not working properly, I will be giving the strengths and weaknesses between both the old and new sites. Within the old site, what makes it truly unique is the ability to follow along with the changing moods of the postcards as the war progressed. They are in a linear timeline that helps someone unfamiliar with the war visualize the chipper propaganda to the bleakness of the rising slaughter. I think reading the contents of the postcard would have allowed a closer and more intimate look at people’s minds of the time. The broken links stop this further inquiry. I’m sure when things worked properly this page was immensely insightful and showed the gradual degeneration of morale on all sides as the death toll rose. As of right now, all that is available is seeing the images of some postcards in linear order.

In the new link, the list of cards is not in a structured timeline but instead just labeled as different themes such as religious postcards or sentimental ones. The strengths lie in the descriptions. When you click on an image, there is a bit of history and details about the particular card itself. It also sources where the postcards are from in different archives giving it reliability. 

I think both websites could have added more information, and the newer site could have added a more linear aspect to it. So far, there are only twenty-two examples on the new site when they could instead make proper categories to place an array of postcards in them, hopefully in chronological order. The first site boasted personal writings on the back of the cards that were never explored due to the broken links. I thought on the updated site they would have the personal writing, only to find historical descriptions. I feel like I was left out of the intimate conversation between people of The Great War. The new site could improve with the addition of the translated and transcribed writings of the former senders of the postcard.  

Ella’s Report on the podcast, “Women Trailblazers”

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For my special mission project, I listened to 13 short podcasts about remarkable women’s stories from WW1.  In the BBC podcast series titled “Women Trailblazers,”  I learned about courageous women that served in the war, who held positions such as VADs, mechanics, moral guardians, patrols- and even soldiers.  I found many similarities to the women in Not so Quiet, especially in regards to the resistance these characters experienced, from men, families, and society as a whole.  In the “Women Trailblazers” podcasts, I learned that all of these women had the same thing in common: the desire to be an active and involved participant in the war.  

Vera Brittain, a woman that grew up in Buxton, England, reminded me a lot of Helen in Not so Quiet.  Brittain was a VAD during the war and experienced the same violence as Helen, and found assimilating back into society very difficult.  Brittain said she felt trapped in her town and compared it to a prison.  Brittain was angry about the “snobbishness” many people exhibited, similar to the artificial qualities of Helen’s mother and Mrs. Evans-Mawnington.  Brittain chose to further her education instead, ignoring the disapproval of her family and town, and their intent arguments that “you will never be married this way.” Yet, Brittain persevered, and later wrote the novel, Testament of Youth, a memoir that describes the struggles of acceptance educated women faced in WW1.   

One of the most accomplished women in the podcast series is Flora Sandes.  Sandes grew up in rural Suffolk and had always “been a keen rider and a good shot.”  Sandes had always wanted to be a soldier, and when she worked as a nurse, her potential to be a soldier was recognized when she was given the rank of private.  As a result of her bravery, Sandes won the Star of Karađorđe; Serbia’s highest military honor.  Sandes won this title when she bravely broke cover during a surprise attack, leaving her seriously injured.  Sandes, and many other women in these podcast sessions, remind me of Tosh, and the their indifference to appear “feminine.” and instead demonstrating bravery.  ndes showed more bravery than any man in her troop, and risked her life as a result.

Sandes isn’t the only woman that held a military position at the time.  Elizabeth “Dolly” Shepherd got her sergeant stripes, but was often cat-called by men, with things like “Kiss me sergeant!” Because of this constant name calling, Shepherd covered her stripes and kept her head down.  However, that isn’t to say she didn’t make her mark.  When one soldier’s car broke down, men hurried to help fix the issue, scrambling for ideas.  When they had all but given up, Shepherd asked if she could “take a look.”  They allowed this, but dismissed the idea of her fixing anything.  Lo and behold, Shepherd, using one of her “invisible hairpins,” was able to tinker and resolve the issue.  This gained her the respect of all the men, leading to a small, but impactful moment for Shepherd, and all women.  

In terms of positions of power, women could become patrols, or as they were named: legal guardians.  This meant they had no real power; they couldn’t arrest people, but they were able to give warnings, particularly to correct other women.  For example, Edith Smith was the first female officer to be given full powers of arrest.  She was sworn in at Grantham Police Station in 1915.  A report sheet, dated in 1917, provides examples of her duties:  “40 foolish girls warned, 20 prostitutes sent out of Grantham, 2 fallen girls helped, 5 bad women cautioned.”  Although Smith was respected for her position, she still only had power to arrest other women, while male officers had power to arrest both men and women.  This reminds me of the Commander in Not so Quiet, she has a position of authority, but it only extends so far. 

I enjoyed listening to the “Women Trailblazers” podcasts.  I wasn’t surprised by the backlash women in war faced, but I was disappointed.  For example, Vera Brittain’s family did not light the fire in her room that kept her warm, because they did not want her to go to university.  It’s so sad how vehemently families opposed their daughters from gaining any education or independence.  Although, I enjoyed listening about the different loopholes women would take, such as Sandes becoming a private in the war. 

Megan Hofmann’s review of “In Love and War”

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The film In Love and War (1996), directed by Richard Attenborough, depicts the vibrant, early life of Ernest Hemingway and his military service in Northern Italy during World War I. The film takes place in the year 1918, with most of the film revolving around a war hospital where an injured young Hemingway becomes enthralled by a beautiful Red Cross nurse, Agnes von Kurowsky, who is seven years older than the “kid.” Familiar faces are part of the film’s cast, such as Sandra Bullock as Agnes and Chris O’Donnell who plays the part of Hemingway.

In Love and War does not necessarily showcase magnificent film work that modern war movies commonly display. As stated previously, many of the film’s scenes center around Ernest Hemingway recovering from a war injury at a hospital several miles away from the immediate war zone. There are only a handful of scenes pertaining to the frontline, with one of them being a brief display of a frontline trench and the other a field camp. The trench scene in particular does not imply extreme accuracy, at least in comparison to the miserable images of mud, muck, and filth displayed on the class blog. Throughout the trench scene, Hemingway romanticizes being a frontline infantryman by borrowing an Italian soldier’s gun to “pretend fire” at the enemy, and I feel as though his romanticism reflects Attenborough’s depiction of the trench as well. The most interesting scenic variety the film conveys revolves around the stunning Italian countryside and cityscape, however, the filming location alone makes these scenes beautiful, not necessarily the mastery of the filming itself.

In the same manner Hemingway’s, A Farwell to Arms is not a typical war book, (meaning much of the book revolves around a love story rather than the war itself), In Love and War is not amainstream wartime film either. As the title suggests, the film’s plot focuses much more intensely on the love affair of Agnes von Kurowsky and Hemingway rather than the historical significance of the first World War. In addition, oftentimes in my experience amongst scholars, Hemingway is not spoken of with the highest esteem regarding his personal life, however, the majority of this film depicts Hemingway as a young, vivacious man who finds the living experience to be exciting and full of potential. Although most of the film concentrates on the love story between the two main characters, the storyline itself gives a thought-provoking glimpse into Hemingway’s life and presents an interesting biographical account of Hemingway before the personal struggles he is famously known for present themselves in his life’s narrative.

Overall, I would not say that In Love and War will go down in history as one of the most influential World War I films I have watched. Nonetheless, I still find the storyline to be intriguing, especially because I viewed the film directly after finishing Hemingway’s A Farwell to Arms, a story that has remarkable similarities with the film. Ernest Hemingway’s life was undoubtfully troublesome. However, I do believe this film’s depiction of Hemingway does a wonderful job of portraying the fact that sometimes life narratives simply cannot be wrapped up neatly and presented with a pretty bow. Life experiences can be tragic. As seen with Hemingway, experiencing personal tragedy early in life can alter the course of one’s existence, and this film engages in the unfortunate job of helping to explain the reasoning behind Hemingway’s personal struggles.

Jacob Lertora’s Review of War Horse

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On its surface, the plot of War Horse (2011) is a hard sell: the protagonist, Joey, is a horse that is exchanged between a farmer, British, French, German, British, and finally back to the same farmer’s hands with a backdrop of the First World War. The characters and the owners of Joey shift often, and years pass between scenes as the movie spans the entirety of the war in two hours and 26 minutes. However, boiling down War Horse to these bare elements would be doing a great disservice to the film, which finds its legs in the smaller details, while making full use of its unconventional main character.

War Horse opens with a couple of scenes involving Albert, (the farmer’s son), and his new horse, which he names Joey. Joey, under Albert’s guidance, must overcome his first challenge to plow a field for planting. The audience waits with bated breath as Joey struggles, with Albert coaching and cheering him on, as he conquers this first obstacle and clears the rocky field. In this way, the film attached me to the concept of Albert having “rightful ownership” of Joey — an important distinction that would become relevant later. Unfortunately, Albert’s family falls into poverty despite Joey’s hard work, and Albert’s father makes the decision to sell him to the British army. Albert rushes to stop the sale, but it is too late, and he is promised that Joey will be returned by the war’s end.

Joey and his new owner are shown exiting a train as Joey befriends the horse of a major, named Topthorn. Topthorn and Joey are shown working together to achieve the fastest time in drills, and will be steadfast companions throughout the war. The two are transferred along with their owners to fight in France, where a foolish cavalry charge is called. The basis of this charge, despite two-to-one odds, is that their speed will surprise the Germans and allow the British a quick decisive victory.

This proved to be a fatal mistake in the following scene. Their charge begins well, with Joey’s owner striking down several Germans (bloodlessly) as they stumble out of their camp in disarray. However, the tide suddenly turns as the remaining Germans regroup and rush for their machine guns at the edge of a forest. As the machine guns rattle, riderless horses leap over the German lines as their British companions are implied to be killed off-screen. This scene represents a tonal shift in the film, as the backdrop of the First World War is shoved into the foreground. While the violence occurs off-screen to preserve the movie’s PG-13 rating, I don’t believe this detracts from the message the scene is meant to convey. Despite it being absurd that the Germans somehow managed to miss every single horse and hit every single rider, the imagery of hundreds of idealistic young soldiers disappearing in an instant is felt. The lack of music helps to convey the seriousness of this scene, with the audience feeling the ebb and flow of battle as the advantage rapidly changes hands. The film successfully conveys how a single mistake by a rash major could erase thousands of lives in an instant.

Joey and his partner Topthorn miraculously survive this ill-fated charge, and they are discovered later by a French farmer and his granddaughter. Emilie, the farmer’s granddaughter is sickly, and unable to ride Joey, but her grandfather eventually relents and allows her to try anyway. Emilie loses control of Joey, leading to both horses’ discovery by the Germans, who commandeer them for the war effort. Joey and Topthorn are handed over to the care of Friedrich, an artilleryman who is to monitor the horses’ condition. Topthorn’s health has been declining over the past several days, so when an officer orders Friedrich to bring Topthorn to pull a heavy gun, he begins to protest. Having seen the officer shoot another “useless” horse previously, Joey swoops in and seemingly volunteers to save the life of his friend, which causes the officer to relent. 

Here, the audience sees the strength of a non-human protagonist. Joey views the situation without bias, merely thinking about the survival of himself and his friend Topthorn. The thoughts of a brooding protagonist would muddle the simple injustice brought about by the German officer, and the kindness of Friedrich as he attempts to save Topthorn. The strengths of War Horse are brought about in the classic literary wisdom of showing rather than telling: I felt angry when an injustice was committed and happy when Joey stepped in not because it was explained to me in a righteous monologue but because these events were shown clearly on-screen.

The film then skips ahead several years to 1918, as Albert is shown in the British army, having volunteered or been conscripted off-screen. He rushes forward into a seemingly unoccupied German trench, only to be struck by a sudden gas attack. He is injured and the film returns to Joey and Topthorn. The scenes featuring Joey, Topthorn, and Friederich were mostly calm affairs, but this particular scene devolved into chaos almost immediately. Topthorn collapses as his strength finally fails him, dying tragically in front of Joey and Friederich. Suddenly, the Germans in front of the pair fall back as a tank advances toward their position. Joey panics and runs desperately across the battlefield, separating from Friederich and becoming entangled in barbed wire. A British and German soldier later work together to free Joey from the wire, with the British soldier taking him back behind his lines. As the war ends, Joey and Albert are eventually reunited and the film concludes on a happy note.

War Horse suffers from a combination of absurd coincidence and a strange lack of violence for a brutal war setting. However, it manages to drive across crucial messages about the First World War through its stellar scene work and unique protagonist. This makes War Horse an odd, but surprisingly entertaining exploration of the World War 1 genre.

Works Cited

War Horse. Directed by Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, 2011.

Word Count: 1007

I pledge.

Maddie Baylor’s report on the website “The National Archives” 

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Upon arriving at the home page of The National Archives website, the viewer is supplied with many options to choose from. The home page is organized into subcategories of data, all of which are grouped together based on related content. It is fruitfully decorated with pictures and artwork from the Great War, as well as highlighted captions that direct the reader’s attention. The front page is simplified and easily accessible, a helpful quality for someone who is not practiced in maneuvering through archival works. Each subdivision has a two-to-three sentence summary of what the tab includes. As a reader, I found that extremely useful, as some of the titles proved insufficient without context. The summaries are condensed so as to not overwhelm the reader, and I found them to be accurate descriptions of the content within. The homepage is simple to navigate, unlike some of the archives themselves.  

When a viewer clicks on one of the subdivisions, it redirects them into a different page. There, they find new resources and even more subcategories. It is very organized, but there is a learning curve. Everything on this website has a subcategory within a subcategory. It takes very little to get lost as you click on one link after another. There is an excess of information available, but my first time through the archives felt like falling down a rabbit hole. I would recommend that viewers sift through one section at a time, so as not to overwhelm themselves. Do not hop from page to page, for it is likely that you will get confused and have to start over from the beginning. The archives is a wonderful space to explore the Great War’s history and recorded artifacts, but the site can be rather off-putting. If you approach it in a systematic way, it will prove easier to navigate. Once the viewer understands the arrangement of the website, it is smooth sailing. 

The National Archives has a surplus of relevant information available for all interested parties. There is a field for everyone, no matter their media preference. If one enjoys nonfiction reading, there are collected documents and historical studies from countries around the world. If readers enjoy a more intimate experience, there are personal letters and diary entries available to peruse. If creative writing is appealing, there are impressive plays and graphic novels to explore. For the auditory viewer, there are plenty of podcasts and videos to avail oneself to. And if one is looking for an interactive experience, there is a blog built for community engagement, similar to this one! There is a space for anyone who wishes to further their education and do a little digging. The works available are extremely thought-provoking and motivating for further research. I would recommend this website to anyone wishing to expand their understanding of the Great War without a historical background. If you are unaccustomed to archival exploration, do not fear! There is a guide below to assist you. 

Due to the maze-like structure of this website, I will include little summaries below of what each section entails. The titles of the sections are in bold with a few sentences that explain what you will find within each one. This way, you do not have to struggle to find whatever material strikes your fancy. If you are interested in browsing through The National Archives, here is a cheat sheet:

A Global View: When you enter this section, you are met with a short list of our world’s continents and regions. You can choose whichever region you wish to learn more about, and that choice will redirect you to a second list. Here, you are once again asked to make a selection, this time from the small territories and countries within that continent. My first choice was to familiarize myself with Europe. From there, I decided to explore the country, Austria-Hungary. Upon my selection, I was able to explore Austria-Hungary’s timeline as it was impacted by the Great War. Each section provides readers with a concise overview, as well as small snippets of information explicitly relevant to the chosen country. It is a manageable space to explore WWI’s impact on all the regions of the world in an easily digestible way. 

Blog Posts about the First World War: This section allows for viewers to choose from an array of blog posts, the earliest of which dates back to a century ago. The posts seem well-informed and well-written as a whole. There is a lot of research and records included within the posts, all of which correlate to the war. I find that this section is good for interacting with the community and making connections through fellow history enthusiasts. 

Voices of the Armistice: The draw of this section is for those who enjoy an audible experience as opposed to the written word. There are three pages of podcasts which discuss a plethora of topics, many of which are diaries from soldiers who experienced the war. Hearing a first-hand account from war veterans can be more effective than reading an article about them. Each podcast is titled, which is useful for viewers who are interested in a particular subject. There are also podcasts which might prove to be upsetting in their content; that is yet another benefit for having labels. The podcasts have a condensed duration, so it will not monopolize your time. These podcasts provide viewers with plenty of information in a neat little package.  

Armistice and Legacy—a graphic novel on the First World War: After viewing some of the other sections, this one is a nice break from the overflow of information. In this space, you will find a bit of creativity intertwined with the facts of the war. It describes the process of students who are creating a graphic novel based off of the stories of WWI. It includes pictures of the artists as they outline and draw, as well as background information for the purpose of their project. This section is a great opportunity to see how the resources of The National Archive are being utilized by the community. 

Plays about South Asia and the First World War: Under this section you will find a handful of plays, all of which depict an important event that happened in the Great War. Each performance is around 15 minutes long, but they go by quickly as you get caught up in the actions of the story. You listen to the actors read their lines and can follow along with them through the use of the transcript. If you absorb information better by reading, this section kindly provides the script as well as the audio. The shows themselves are very easy to comprehend, and their content is unlike the rest of the resources in the archives. They focus on the way that the war impacted south Asian countries, specifically that of India. It touches on gender, race, and religion, all of which I believe are important to learn about. Their commentary on the war and its effects are both educational and enlightening. It is similar to the podcasts in its media form, but the unique content separates it from all other sections on this website. 

Letters from the First World War, 1915: This section holds the personal remarks of soldiers who were writing to comrades and loved ones. It is a deeply intimate place to hear the observations made by veterans in the war. Many letters allow you to listen to someone read it aloud, as though that person is speaking to you directly. They also have the transcript further down the page if you prefer to read it as the intended letter. This is a fascinating space to apply what we have learned from our novels to reality. I found the letter  “Injury: I look a pretty picture” to be in keeping with what we have read. It is a note from one injured soldier to a comrade on the front, which I could discern from the content of the message alone. When sifting through the different letters, one can distinguish the way that the writers wish to present the magnitude of the war. Depending on who the receiver is, they might desire a reassuring message versus an authentic one. This is a great section to read the first-hand accounts of soldiers in 1915, as well as a space to relate our lessons to real life. 

First World War podcasts and videos: Within this section you will find a hodgepodge of media relating to the Great War. It incorporates podcasts, plays, recorded conversations, poetry, and more, all of which connect to WWI. Some videos are direct accounts from the soldiers themselves, others are accomplished through the research of outside sources. It is a place for viewers to explore an assortment of multimedia options if that seems more intriguing than the written word. 

Find your ancestor in our First World War records: The title of this section is quite self explanatory. It is a guide to finding veterans of the Great War who might be an ancestor of yours. There are a great deal of links that describe the different positions that your ancestor might have held in the war, such as Army nurse or Corps officer. After clicking on a link, the site instructs you on how to uncover records of that person. It is very thorough and comprehensive in its explanation. If you are looking to learn more about an ancestor, this is the place to do so. Even if you don’t know any veterans, this is also a great space to view records of war soldiers and learn more about them individually.

Browse our online collections: In this section, one will find the most diverse resources available to viewers. It consists of documents, service records, maps, photographs, and anything else remotely related to WWI. All that is not covered in the other sections will be placed here. However, a majority of the links lead to a page that reads “Page Not Found.” Apparently, in order to access most of these records, you must go to the “archived version” of the page and search there. It seems superfluous to do so, but I imagine that whatever results people are looking for  must be worth the extra effort. 

First World War titles in the bookshop: Lastly, you will reach the archival bookshop. If you are looking to do some WWI shopping, The National Archives has provided you with a quick and easy place. There is jewelry, stationary, books, maps, and gifts for anyone you know who also takes an interest in history. This is a shop for all important eras, so make sure to hit the 20th century link when searching. Happy shopping!

Abby Algeier’s report on the podcast “Britain: The Psychology of War”

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The BBC has a series of podcasts about World War I (aptly called “World War One”) that include episodes of different topics. I listened to the “Britain: The Psychology of War” episode that discusses why men volunteered to go to the front and what drove them to the edge.

The first thing Amanda Vickery and her guests Dan Todman and Michael Roper talk about is the drastic increase in men joining the army, from 100,000 at the beginning of the war to 100 million towards the end, 80,000 of whom had shell-shock. There was not much patriotism among young British men until after Britain joined World War I, and while there was a small rush to the recruitment offices beforehand, at the end of August 1914 men joined the army in droves.

One segment I found particularly relevant to our class occurred about 18 minutes, 41 seconds in. The speakers spoke about the 8 million letters per week sent home from the Western Front and how many of them contained shopping lists; the situation at the Front was very domestic, leading into an interesting topic: men in maternal roles. One speaker read aloud what a man named David wrote about a comrade who was hit by shells. He held him in his arms, and kissed him twice on his brow — once for the man’s mother, and once for himself. This immediately reminded me of the scene in All Quiet on the Western Front with Paul and Franz (we all know the one). There are many accounts of dying men crying out for their mothers, and some men wrote about the ground being their mother’s arms, which also called to mind All Quiet.

The topic moved to the influx of poetry by men about the war, made possible due to mass literacy. They delved further into poetry and gendered points of view about the war and patriotism before bringing in Joanna Bourke, the third guest, to discuss shell-shock.

Bourke explained that shell-shock as a term is similar to “soldier’s heart” from the American Civil War and PTSD from Vietnam. She states that shell-shock was a uniquely United Kingdom experience, but I disagree. Shell shock affected Allied and German powers alike — the speakers later remarked that other countries had shell-shocked soldiers too. The term itself originates from the theory that a shell exploding nearby released shockwaves that strongly affected the brain by shattering their nerves. Diagnoses determined whether men received pension, treatment, or were “shot at dawn.” Lower-ranked privates were considered womanish while higher-ranked. higher-class officers had anxiety disorders.

One audience member spoke about his grandfather, a doctor during WWI, who was traumatized by caring for soldiers, and he said something very profound: the war did not end in 1918. His grandfather’s children were affected by the trauma, too. The speakers noted that at first, discussion about the war, its effects, and shell-shock skyrocketed but fell off after some time. Children often wet the bed and had night terrors.

The speakers briefly spoke about male vs. female shell-shock. While women experienced identical symptoms, especially nurses, V.A.D.s, and ambulance drivers who saw destroyed men, they were largely ignored. This reminded me of Not So Quiet‘s…everything! Nellie knew her mother would think her hysterical, yet at the end of the novel, she lost her soul.

None of our novels were mentioned at all in this podcast, but I still recognized elements from All Quiet and Not So Quiet — even though the former was German, not British. It’s easy to separate the fictional war books from real-life events. The themes we discussed in class are real for men and women in WWI, and to me, this is absolutely mindblowing!