Diary+of+John+Williams

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We have just received word that Archduke Franz Ferdinand has been assassinated. My fellow soldiers and I did not see this coming. I guess you don't hear everything over here in the states. Rumor has it that all hell is going to break loose over there. We could be seeing the biggest war this world has ever witnessed. I believe I am ready for when that day finally arrives. But, until then, my fellow brothers and I will have to sit here and wait. The more we wait, however, the more it gets to our heads. We know that it is bound to happen sooner or later, and when it does, only about half of us will survive. Right now, all we can do is wait. It has turned into a mind game. I guess we will just have to see what tomorrow brings.=====

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I find it hard to believe I’ve only been here less than two weeks. Life in the trenches has been very long and treacherous; I know we are far from the end. This war is like no other. I pray that I make it home alive.=====

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People are dying off; quickly, one by one. Just yesterday 7 people from my unit died from various diseases and infections, others simply because they starved. Trench foot is common here and I fear I will soon have it. It’s quite terrible and disgusting to look at. Rats pick apart the dead corpses that litter the ground and the smell of flesh, waste, and mud among other things will haunt me forever. The flu, typhoid, and warts are commonly experienced. Consequently, soldiers that caught such things were at risk of death because of the lack of treatment available. The living conditions here are like no other. The mud complicates daily duties and at times seems impassable. Due to the constant mud problem, wooden duck boards were put into place as an attempt to avoid sinking. I heard word that the German trenches actually have concrete walls and designed underground rooms. I’d do anything to be able to live in one of those. However we must work with what we have. We must stay mentally and physically strong if we want to surpass this war.=====

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Most casualties are not due just from poor living conditions however. So many lives were lost through soldiers “going over the top”, a method that was primarily used when fighting in trenches. A firing step would be put in place; the soldier would step on it so they were able to see over the top of the trench and then would fire it into “no man’s land”. When the call was made to go over the top the soldiers lined up, climbed out of the trenches, and fired at the enemy.=====

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Well I must try and get some sleep; I honestly can’t remember the last time I got more than 5 hours of sleep. I need to stay strong and optimistic, the war is far from over but faith will see us through.=====

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I can see why this war is called the Great War. I don’t think anyone has ever seen anything like this. This war has brought along with it many new weapons such as the rifle, machine gun, gas, zeppelin, tank, and plane. The most deadly weapon is gas. There is chlorine gas and mustard gas; both of them cause a very painful and somewhat slow death. It is very scary to think that if the wind isn’t blowing in the right direction, we could end up killing our own troops.=====

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Another worry of mine is the Influenza Pandemic. It has become one of the worst epidemics in modern history. The virus has spread very quickly across the U.S and to Europe through soldiers. Since this virus is highly contagious I could catch it easily. This worries me so much because I don’t have much control over it. Hopefully this war ends soon.=====

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The war is ending and we will be going home soon. Will I be the same John Williams when I return as when I left? I have seen so much in this war. President Wilson said this war would make the world safe for democracy. The soldiers are very happy to go home because they will not have to fight anymore or put themselves in danger by going out.=====