PREFACE

preface

inthisbookihavewrittenaboutsomeaspectsofthewarwhich,ibelieve,theworldmustknowandremember,notonlyasamemorialofmen'scourageintragicyears,butasawarningofwhatwillhappenagain—surely—ifaheritageofevilandoffollyisnotcutoutoftheheartsofpeoples.hereitistherealityofmodernwarfarenotonlyasitappearstobritishsoldiers,ofwhomicantell,buttosoldiersonallthefrontswhereconditionswerethesame.

whatihavewrittenheredoesnotcancel,noralter,nordenyanythinginmydailynarrativesofeventsonthewesternfrontastheyarenowpublishedinbookform.theystand,imayclaimsincerelyandhumbly,asatruthful,accurate,andtragicrecordofthebattlesinfranceandbelgiumduringtheyearsofwar,broadlypicturedoutasfarasicouldseeandknow.myduty,then,wasthatofachronicler,notarguingwhythingsshouldhavehappenedsonorgivingreasonswhytheyshouldnothappenso,butdescribingfaithfullymanyofthethingsisaw,andnarratingthefactsasifoundthem,asfarasthecensorshipwouldallow.afterearly,hostiledaysitallowednearlyallbutcriticism,protest,andofthefiguresofloss.

thepurposeofthisbookistogetdeeperintothetruthofthiswarandofallwar—notbyamoredetailednarrativeofevents,butratherasthetruthwasrevealedtothemindsofmen,inmanyaspects,outoftheirexperience;andbyaplainstatementofrealities,howeverpainful,toaddsomethingtotheworld'sknowledgeoutofwhichmenofgood-willmaytrytoshapesomenewsystemofrelationshipbetweenonepeopleandanother,somenewcodeofinternationalmorality,preventingoratleastpostponinganothermassacreofyouthlikethatfiveyears'sacrificeofboysofwhichiwasawitness.