This is a World War I memoir by German soldier Ernst Jünger. It describes his experiences fighting in one battle after the next while seeing almost all of his comrades die.
I’ve never read anything more vivid about the horrors of war. What makes Storms of Steel particularly effective is that Jünger avoids passing judgement or getting overly emotional. Instead he just describes his experiences in a detached but engaging way. The memoir’s only weakness is that the large number of battles Jünger engaged in, making it repetitive in places.
His bravery is astounding, as is his luck. He narrowly escapes death at least a dozen times. He survives being hit by grenades and bond, poison gas attacks, and being shot in the legs, torso and head, all without any permanent physical or psychological damage.
Before reading Jünger’s memoir, I didn’t know how widespread drinking used to be in the German army. I don’t only mean alcohol consumption while off duty, or even while on guard duty in the trenches while nothing is happening, but also while exchanging fire with the enemy and before and even during battle. Jünger recounts attacking while drunk. I wonder if this aided the war effort by making the men braver, or if it hindered it by increasing accidents and casualties, including from friendly fire.
An electronic version of the book is available for download.
Nehaveigur 