In December 1914, a few months after the start of World War I, a young German man named Ernst Jünger arrives in Bazancourt, Champagne, France to train as a soldier. Like his training mates, he is eager for danger, ready to prove himself in war. During his first morning on the front lines, however, a fatal explosion occurs nearby, and he realizes that death will haunt him throughout the war. Once he’s settled into sentry duty in the trenches, he discovers that the war is at a standstill. All the men feel disillusioned by the wearisome dirty-work and absence of thrills.
After being relieved of trench duty, Jünger is sent to a remote village for officer training, where he forms enduring friendships. After training, in April 1915, Jünger’s battalion is moved back to the front lines near Hattonchâtel, France, and Jünger finally gets his first taste of battle. While capturing French trenches, Jünger is hit in the leg with shrapnel—his first war wound. Nevertheless, he is horrified by the far worse suffering he witnesses in others. He is briefly evacuated to Germany for recovery, where he reflects that, contrary to his expectations, war is not just an adventure.
After his recovery, Jünger undergoes further training and becomes an ensign, specializing in moving small groups of soldiers across terrain. In September, he rejoins his regiment in Douchy, France. The front line surrounds nearby Monchy. Here, living in the section called C Sector, Jünger gets his first extensive taste of life in the trenches. It’s often monotonous, but it also comes to feel like home as the trauma of shellfire and the back-breaking work of trench maintenance are interspersed with cozy camaraderie. He gets promoted to lieutenant during this time.
This relatively peaceful period doesn’t last: by the spring of 1916, the Battle of the Somme (a major offensive on the Western Front) is looming. As artillery fire heats up, Jünger survives his first gas attacks and an attempted British invasion of C Sector. In late August, Jünger’s platoon is transported to the front line outside of Combles, near the heart of the Somme. Jünger survives heavy artillery barrages but is briefly hospitalized after being struck by shrapnel. When he returns to the front, Jünger is assigned as a scouting officer. On just his second scouting mission, he is shot through both legs. He is depressed that he must stay in the hospital, missing his regiment’s successful attack at St-Pierre-Vaast. After rejoining his regiment, he’s awarded an Iron Cross.
In the spring of 1917, Jünger is briefly assigned to an observation post in the village of Fresnoy and then returns to the front line. With just 20 men, he overpowers a much larger group—the First Hariana Lancers, from India—and receives recognition for it. Next the regiment moves to the Flemish countryside. In the midst of a chaotic counterattack, Jünger is informed that his brother, Fritz, a newer recruit, was reported missing last night. Later, Jünger discovers his brother is injured nearby, and he arranges for Fritz’s evacuation under heavy fire. He also leads an outnumbered group of soldiers in holding off a British advance. Later, outside the town of Regniéville, Jünger leads an unsuccessful raid on a French trench, though he is awarded another Iron Cross for his courage.
Next, Jünger is based in the Flemish village of Roeselare as an intelligence officer. He makes harrowing reconnaissance journeys across the shell-cratered countryside. Back on the front line, a bold attack against the British yields 200 captives, representing an advance on old methods of static trench-fighting.
In March 1918, Jünger is leading his men toward the front lines when they’re hit head-on by shelling, and Jünger is heartbroken to lose several beloved comrades in particularly brutal circumstances. However, the losses fuel his desire for the coming offensive against the British. Soon after leaping into the enemy trench, however, a desperate British soldier shows Jünger a photograph of his family, and Jünger compassionately lets him go. After hours of merciless fighting, the Germans succeed in repelling the British somewhat, and Jünger rebounds enthusiastically despite sustaining both chest and head wounds. While recovering in the hospital, however, he begins to realize that Germany is actually losing the overall war effort.
In the summer of 1918, Jünger observes the growing reliance upon mechanized warfare, such as the use of tanks and airplanes. His strong will to fight also declines more and more as his sense of purpose falters. On August 23, Jünger takes part in his final assault, in the village of Favreuil. Shortly after the attack begins, he is shot in the lung just as the British overrun the village. Jünger is evacuated to Germany, where he spends his recovery recalling his many wounds (at least 14 total, with 20 scars) and spending time with his brother Fritz. While still in the hospital, he receives a telegram informing him that the Kaiser has awarded him the pour le Mérite, among highest possible military honors in the Kingdom of Prussia.
