Trevor Prais
Humanities
1/14/2018
Dear America
Day 1,
Dear America,
If you are reading this either we have won the war and I am coming home and this journal is in a museum, or I have died and this journal has been passed on to the little family that I have left.
I am going to explain how we all got into this shitty situation and how so many young men found there demise in the fields of Europe.
June 28, 1914 The heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian empire is assassinated the following events after our about to spiral the world out of control, and cost millions of lives in Europe. The “Great War” was going to be what I was spending all of my time worrying about.
At first we didn’t seem interested in even participating in the shenanigans that were going on in Germany. But unfortunately we had strong ties with britain which made it clear if they went to war we were going to be backing them up, Which explains why I am in this damn bunker now. Also the german U-boats sinking ships and trying to convince Mexico to go to war with us.
At first I wasn’t to worried I wasn’t apart of the military so I wasn’t going to be having to fight this war, I had my eyes set on going to college and trying to make a family of my own. Then I was informed by local government that I would be joining in to fight against the evil powers in Europe, My heart instantly went to my throat. My next few thoughts were of how I was going to be dead along with all of the other American teenagers. In a blink of an eye I was sent on my way and I was in Britain awaiting transport to France. Here is where I met a few British soldiers how seemed like they were going to throw up from fear.
I was issued a 1911 pistol and a 1907 enfield rifle. I was also given a pair of military clothes and a gas mask. Moments after inspecting my rifle I was put on transport to France to fight in the Western Front. Half of the people on my ship were what it seemed like excited to go and kill the Germans while the other half of the men were like me ready to throw up and already writing home in case we died. I felt like my pen and paper were going to be more useful than my rifle, writing calmed me down and stopped my anxiety. I didn’t want to make any friends in fear that if they died fighting it would make me go insane so I mostly kept to myself the whole ride there. The next step after getting off the ship was to get trained with my weapons so I will save more of the details until tomorrow.
Day 10
Dear America,
Since my last entry I have completed my basic training and I have been assigned my platoon and sent straight to the front lines to fight. At first it didn’t seem like anything bad was going to happen. Most of the day was filled with silence. We hid in our bunkers like rats because occasionally mortar fire would go off and kill anyone not underground. Most of the time here I just played cards with other people in my platoon and smoke cigarettes. Sometimes the older guys would talk about their ladies back home but I would stay quiet.
My other half of the time here is spent on either writing or standing in the trenches looking for any movement. I rarely ever shot my rifle since the Germans seemed to be also hiding in the bunkers. I wonder if they were just as scared as I was to be here fighting for a lost cause. Never even knowing if I would go home. Looks like it is my shift to watch no man’s land
Day 23
Dear America,
Dove’s fly high and escape in the trees
They land and don’t speak a word
I long to be freed
I wish to be like that tiny bird
Day 31
Dear America,
I have watched more people come and go within the last few think and I believe it is beginning to really take a toll on my body. I am suffering from severe chemical burns and I think I am going to be medically discharged but that is if there is anyone willing to come back and get me. Most vehicles that move within a mile of the trenches is usually bombed and my body is in no conditions to be walking. I am also becoming good friends with the rats that live down in the bunkers with me. Everyone seems to be dying but somehow these tiny rats seem to be doing just fine, almost like nothing is happening.
Going up to do my shifts is becoming grueling as the days past. I seem to find myself counting how many craters I can see in the fields for explosives. Or keep track of how many men have passed in my platoon. If I don’t get out of this hell hole soon enough I think I am going to take matters into my own hands.
Day 46
Dear America,
If there is one thing I could wish for right now it would be better food, we seem to be blowing through our rations at an alarming rate so the chef started killing the rats and putting them into our food. Other than the terrible food I seem to be running out of paper to write on, without writing I don’t know what I do, the only reason I am even here is because of writing. It brings peace to the chaos.
I am more worried about losing this pen and paper then, worrying about being blow up from mortar fire or dying from inhaling toxic gases. I seem to not be alone, most of the men that I have seen come and go have been fond of doing daily journaling. Since no one really cares about your problems because everyone is going through the same exact thing. But the paper can’t judge what you put on it. With each stroke of the pen it accepts the scripture on it. I must go now my eyes our heavy and I have to get up in 4 hours to keep watch.
Day 52
Dear America,
I haven’t been eating lately and the rats seem to be more prominent in my sleeping quarters. I haven’t been sleeping well either since the rats like to run over my face and down my body in the middle of the night. I think the mixture of malnutrition and lack of sleep is really taking a toll on my body. I am starting to see things out in the fog of no man's land. I have false fired a couple of times and gotten chewed out by my captain. I don’t think that I can continue for much longer through this type of pain.
I am also experiencing extreme anxiety and heavy breathing while looking out of the trenches. A few days ago I watched someone take a shot in the upper neck. Blood spewed everywhere over me as I watched him start gasping for air. Now every time that I peek my just above the dirt and clay I fear that I will be the next person to get hit.
Each day progressively seems to get longer and longer, I feel as if I am stuck in a eternal prison here in these damn trenches. We haven’t made any progress on getting rid of the German army and they haven’t made any progress on us. We our just firing aimlessly into each others general direction hoping to scrape a few lucky kills to gain an advantage. To make matters worse the germans our slowly reinforcing there trenches and bunkers, so I don’t think we our gonna have any chance to rush into them without getting completely obliterated.
Day 61
Dear America,
This letter is of extreme urgency, I have received a bullet wound in my right shoulder while on watch. I am to be immediately removed to combat and sent to a hospital. I am told if I don’t get the bullet out of my shoulder they will have to amputate my arm because of severe infection. So I guess this means you our going to be seeing these letter in a museum then.
When I get back I just want everyone to know of the atrocities being done out there and how many innocent young men were killed. Tank god I am getting out of this hell hole and good luck to the men still out in those trenches fighting for me.
Humanities
1/14/2018
Dear America
Day 1,
Dear America,
If you are reading this either we have won the war and I am coming home and this journal is in a museum, or I have died and this journal has been passed on to the little family that I have left.
I am going to explain how we all got into this shitty situation and how so many young men found there demise in the fields of Europe.
June 28, 1914 The heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian empire is assassinated the following events after our about to spiral the world out of control, and cost millions of lives in Europe. The “Great War” was going to be what I was spending all of my time worrying about.
At first we didn’t seem interested in even participating in the shenanigans that were going on in Germany. But unfortunately we had strong ties with britain which made it clear if they went to war we were going to be backing them up, Which explains why I am in this damn bunker now. Also the german U-boats sinking ships and trying to convince Mexico to go to war with us.
At first I wasn’t to worried I wasn’t apart of the military so I wasn’t going to be having to fight this war, I had my eyes set on going to college and trying to make a family of my own. Then I was informed by local government that I would be joining in to fight against the evil powers in Europe, My heart instantly went to my throat. My next few thoughts were of how I was going to be dead along with all of the other American teenagers. In a blink of an eye I was sent on my way and I was in Britain awaiting transport to France. Here is where I met a few British soldiers how seemed like they were going to throw up from fear.
I was issued a 1911 pistol and a 1907 enfield rifle. I was also given a pair of military clothes and a gas mask. Moments after inspecting my rifle I was put on transport to France to fight in the Western Front. Half of the people on my ship were what it seemed like excited to go and kill the Germans while the other half of the men were like me ready to throw up and already writing home in case we died. I felt like my pen and paper were going to be more useful than my rifle, writing calmed me down and stopped my anxiety. I didn’t want to make any friends in fear that if they died fighting it would make me go insane so I mostly kept to myself the whole ride there. The next step after getting off the ship was to get trained with my weapons so I will save more of the details until tomorrow.
- A unknown soldier
Day 10
Dear America,
Since my last entry I have completed my basic training and I have been assigned my platoon and sent straight to the front lines to fight. At first it didn’t seem like anything bad was going to happen. Most of the day was filled with silence. We hid in our bunkers like rats because occasionally mortar fire would go off and kill anyone not underground. Most of the time here I just played cards with other people in my platoon and smoke cigarettes. Sometimes the older guys would talk about their ladies back home but I would stay quiet.
My other half of the time here is spent on either writing or standing in the trenches looking for any movement. I rarely ever shot my rifle since the Germans seemed to be also hiding in the bunkers. I wonder if they were just as scared as I was to be here fighting for a lost cause. Never even knowing if I would go home. Looks like it is my shift to watch no man’s land
- A unknown soldier
Day 23
Dear America,
Dove’s fly high and escape in the trees
They land and don’t speak a word
I long to be freed
I wish to be like that tiny bird
- A unknown soldier
Day 31
Dear America,
I have watched more people come and go within the last few think and I believe it is beginning to really take a toll on my body. I am suffering from severe chemical burns and I think I am going to be medically discharged but that is if there is anyone willing to come back and get me. Most vehicles that move within a mile of the trenches is usually bombed and my body is in no conditions to be walking. I am also becoming good friends with the rats that live down in the bunkers with me. Everyone seems to be dying but somehow these tiny rats seem to be doing just fine, almost like nothing is happening.
Going up to do my shifts is becoming grueling as the days past. I seem to find myself counting how many craters I can see in the fields for explosives. Or keep track of how many men have passed in my platoon. If I don’t get out of this hell hole soon enough I think I am going to take matters into my own hands.
- A unknown soldier
Day 46
Dear America,
If there is one thing I could wish for right now it would be better food, we seem to be blowing through our rations at an alarming rate so the chef started killing the rats and putting them into our food. Other than the terrible food I seem to be running out of paper to write on, without writing I don’t know what I do, the only reason I am even here is because of writing. It brings peace to the chaos.
I am more worried about losing this pen and paper then, worrying about being blow up from mortar fire or dying from inhaling toxic gases. I seem to not be alone, most of the men that I have seen come and go have been fond of doing daily journaling. Since no one really cares about your problems because everyone is going through the same exact thing. But the paper can’t judge what you put on it. With each stroke of the pen it accepts the scripture on it. I must go now my eyes our heavy and I have to get up in 4 hours to keep watch.
- A unknown soldier
Day 52
Dear America,
I haven’t been eating lately and the rats seem to be more prominent in my sleeping quarters. I haven’t been sleeping well either since the rats like to run over my face and down my body in the middle of the night. I think the mixture of malnutrition and lack of sleep is really taking a toll on my body. I am starting to see things out in the fog of no man's land. I have false fired a couple of times and gotten chewed out by my captain. I don’t think that I can continue for much longer through this type of pain.
I am also experiencing extreme anxiety and heavy breathing while looking out of the trenches. A few days ago I watched someone take a shot in the upper neck. Blood spewed everywhere over me as I watched him start gasping for air. Now every time that I peek my just above the dirt and clay I fear that I will be the next person to get hit.
Each day progressively seems to get longer and longer, I feel as if I am stuck in a eternal prison here in these damn trenches. We haven’t made any progress on getting rid of the German army and they haven’t made any progress on us. We our just firing aimlessly into each others general direction hoping to scrape a few lucky kills to gain an advantage. To make matters worse the germans our slowly reinforcing there trenches and bunkers, so I don’t think we our gonna have any chance to rush into them without getting completely obliterated.
- A unknown soldier
Day 61
Dear America,
This letter is of extreme urgency, I have received a bullet wound in my right shoulder while on watch. I am to be immediately removed to combat and sent to a hospital. I am told if I don’t get the bullet out of my shoulder they will have to amputate my arm because of severe infection. So I guess this means you our going to be seeing these letter in a museum then.
When I get back I just want everyone to know of the atrocities being done out there and how many innocent young men were killed. Tank god I am getting out of this hell hole and good luck to the men still out in those trenches fighting for me.
- A unknown soldier
I wrote this novel for an extra credit option towards the end of the first semester. I thought it represented the first semester pretty well since we learned a lot about WWI and the civil war. After writing this novel I have felt like this writing piece is way better than most of my writing pieces in high school. This is very important to me since one of my goals since I was in middle school was to improve my creative writing.