Ernst Jünger's Storm Of Steel

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Storm of Steel is a memoir of Ernst Jünger’s encounters during World War I. Jünger, a German author and veteran of the war, is exalted for his different outlooks towards the war in which he fought. Contrary to other works about World War I where other authors would be predominantly anti-war, Jünger seems to commend the war throughout this memoir, glorifying the hostilities, the battles, and nationalism. Remaining in chronological order throughout the book, Jünger’s trails through combat exhibits his courage and heroic masculinity. The book opens with Jünger’s deployment in 1915. He enters the 73rd Hanoverian Regiment in the Champagne region of France. During this time, the German army is already in heavy gridlock with Britain. Immediately…show more content…
When re-united with his unit, they get deployed to the Arras region of northern France. He soon participates in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Throughout this battle, Ernst and his crew receive heavy assault from the British including gas attacks, numerous shelling, and bombardments. They stayed in that town for several months until relieved and assigned to defend the village of Guillemont. During this clash, Ernst once again gets injured during a firefight, one of his many wounds at this time. Some would say this wound saved Jünger’s life because he had to once again withdraw from his unit just days before the British army launched their final assault which captured the village. His group of men was eradicated which left him the only…show more content…
In April of 1917, Ernst enters the Battle of Arras and between July and October he fought the Third Battle of Ypres. He also participates in the massive shell explosion that occurred in the Battle of Cambrai in November against the German counter-offensive in 1917. Ernst receives a lot of wounds including in July on the front in Flanders, and also in December. He was again wounded in August near Cambrai. On the 21st of March, they engage in battle once again during the final German Spring Offensive. This trench battle was very ugly and here he received another injury. It wasn’t until August of that year that Ernst received a life changing injury. On the 23rd, Ernst and his new unit received orders to pursue the last group of troops whom they were fighting. While moving through the trenches, they arrive at the back where Ernst notices that he has a bullet wound in the middle of his chest. He spent the rest of the war in a military hospital. This earned him the highest award in the German Army, Pour le Merite. He was one of only twelve officers of the ground forces to receive this
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