World War I shattered tens of millions of lives. It was known for miles of trenches, blasted no-mans-lands, thunderous bombardments – war on an industrial scale.
The movie “Testament of Youth” is the true story of a young English woman named Vera Brittain. In the space of two years she lost her brother, her fiancé (on the day she was to be married) and two close friends. Her desire to be involved in the war resulted in her volunteering to be a nurse near the front lines.
In a poignant scene, she is told her brother was at their field hospital but had already died. She frantically searches through the bodies, finds him, and discovers he is still breathing. Over time she nurses him back to health. He is sent back to the front and is killed soon after. Just before his death, he sends her a letter that describes the quiet peacefulness of a battlefield at twilight. [*]
But Vera also saw that war has several sides. Her first assignment was in a hospital that treated wounded German prisoners. She discovered that they were just like her fiancé and brother, with the same loves and fears. They were human.
As a result, she became a life-long pacifist and noted writer of the anti-war novel “Testament of Youth.” She continued to oppose war even after Hitler came to power.
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* The movie may have taken some dramatic license with the facts: other resources mention Edward being wounded but not declared dead at her hospital (see http://spartacus-educational.com/FWWbrittainE.htm ). Also, while I think the battlefield letter was from her brother, my memory of the movie could be faulty and in that case it would have been from her fiancé.
This illustration can be paired effectively with “The Christmas Truce,” HolwickID #28691.