Despite being the writer of the memoir, Jünger offers little information about himself. The Introduction to the 2004 Penguin edition of the book says Jünger is 19 when the detrains on December 27, 1914; that Jünger volunteers on August 1, the first day of the war, with only a couple of months’ training; and that he rushes to leave school to volunteer. The reader knows from the book that Jünger has a brother, also a soldier, and a father, who, when Jünger is on furlough, suggests he become an officer.

As the Introduction relates: “War is all—fighting is all—everything else is cropped away” (viii). There are very few scenes away from battle, and those usually are of Jünger recovering from a wound or resting for a few days before fighting again. The action then becomes how the reader gets to know Jünger: how he reacts poorly in his first battle, and how he changes over time to a man who refuses to take cover from artillery unless a shell is coming close. The narrative also delineates how he becomes resigned to death, knowing it could happen at any moment, but still relishes the small comforts of food or drink or remembering fallen friends.