Soon we'll also have the 100th anniversary of Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive... This year is full of cenentaries, but it'll be even more interesting in upcoming years.
I didn't read the book, but I do know Remarque was really "whiny" about the experience... But well, it was WW1, who can blame him. I still don't know why he then published that other one, A time to Love a Time to die, which also had a movie and it was much more Hollywood like, he seemed to find it all depressing but then kept making money out of it and publishing books.
You know, contrary to the popular belief, Remarque was a "civilian" writer first, not the true "front veteran"
Check out when and for how long he was in the trenches. I understand, that it shocked him greatly, but he didn't saw much of the war.
It takes place during the Meiji Reformation and gives a lot of insight on how late 19th century tactics work as well as how technologically inferior warriors could stand up to a modernized army ( I particularly am well-versed in those types of strategies and tactics from my almost-obsessive play-style in multiplayer)
Well, actually they didn't stand up against the modern army
As the history has showed us...
It is curious, though, how many did Japanese has taken from the German military traditions. In my photo collection, I've got a couple of photos, showing the Japanese cadets in Berlin. It was a common practice for Japanese officers - to take their learning lessons in Europe.