"Suicide in the Trenches"
by Siegfried Sassoon
I knew a simple soldier boy
Who grinned at life in empty joy,
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
And whistled early with the lark.
In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
He put a bullet through his brain.
No one spoke of him again.
You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you'll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.
The war wasn't just a time of destruction. A host of modern inventions like penicillin were created to fill the needs of soldiers and civilians. Click the image above and learn more! (Image provided by Wikimedia Commons)
While many books focus on the glory and heroism of war, Unbroken examines another facet of armed conflict: its inherent horror. Laura Hillenbrand exposes the daily abuse that POWs experienced in World War Two and the ugly realities of death and injury on the battlefield. While the novel is ultimately a story of hope, Louie endures everything the war has to throw at him before he gets his happy ending.
Perhaps one of the reasons Unbroken has become so wildly popular is its element of realism. Unlike history books that look at battles from a safe distance and a bird's-eye view, the novel takes a different approach. Readers experience the pain, sorrow, and fear of the past personally through Louie's eyes.
During WWII, most participating nations created illustrated posters that were meant to elevate their own soldiers and citizens and make their enemies look grotesque and humorous. (Images by Wikimedia Commons)
The National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas offers visitors a close-up view of the conflict that tore the world apart. It holds an enormous collection of artifacts ranging from canteens and riffles to full-sized artillery and vehicles. Click the image above to learn more! (Image by pacificwarmuseum.org)
Nate Aubin
The Things They Carried by 
Slaughterhouse Five by During the war, everyone did their part to help their nation. Even major companies like Disney pitched in. This somewhat frightening propaganda cartoon features Donald Duck having a nightmare about being a German citizen under Hitler's regime.