A defence expert believes a 1928 novel which was adapted into a film is the “greatest of all war novels”. Dr Michael Shurkin, an expert in European defence and West African politics and security, revealed his 10 favourite war novels.
The novel that topped his list is WW1 German soldier Erich Maria Remarque’s semi-autobiographical book All Quiet on the Western Front, first released in 1928. The book describes the German soldiers’ extreme physical and mental trauma during the war as well as the detachment from civilian life felt by many upon returning home from the war. Dr Shurkin said it could “quite possibly” be the “greatest of all war novels”, following Paul, an enthusiastic young man who joins up with his schoolmates and then, after the obligatory training, goes to fight the French on the Western Front.
There “all his youthful optimism and jingoistic support for the war gets blasted out of him” by shelling, death, and an “unforgettable scene” in a shell hole alone with a dead French soldier.
A major theme of the book is jingoism – blind nationalism. Remarque often emphasises that the boys were not forced to join the war effort against their will, but rather by a sense of patriotism and pride.
Paul’s teacher gives his students a romanticised version of warfare with glory and duty to the Fatherland, which they quickly have to reevaluate when the conditions, hunger, and sickness of war destroys their spirits.
At the beginning of the book, Remarque writes: “This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped (its) shells, were destroyed by the war.”
The book and its sequel, The Road Back (1931), were among the books banned and burned in Nazi Germany as anti-war propaganda. Screenings of the 1930 film were met with Nazi-organized protests and mob attacks on both movie theatres and audience members.
The expert said the 1930 movie adaptation gets his vote for “the best war movie ever made”. This adaptation won two Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director.
The 2022 adaptation directed by Edward Berger received a leading 14 nominations at the Baftas (winning seven, including Best Film) and nine at the Oscars (including Best Picture) and won four: Best International Feature, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design.
Michael’s list also included Les Bienveillantes by Jonathan Littel, Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman, and La 317e Section by Pierre Schoendoerffer.