World War 1 Art And Literature Essay

In today’s modern age, there are many different forms of art and literature that reference or discuss one of the most tragic, amazing, and brutal events in the course of our history. World War I, originally known as the Great War, was one of the biggest and deadliest wars that has ever taken place in our history on this planet. A series of events in 1914 led to an all-out war with Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire (Central Powers) pitted against Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy and Japan also known as the Allied Powers. The Allies were joined after 1917 by the United States. The brutal and hard war ended in 1918 with the defeat of the Central Powers. The Great War resulted in 9 million soldier deaths and 21 million wounded soldiers. The war was truly a horrible event that had long lasting impact on both individuals and the world.
Many of these art forms and pieces of literature depict the Great War in a negative light, showcasing and emphasizing the horrors the war brought. Songs have become a staple in antiwar media and protests, and many songs have been written about World War I. When thinking about antiwar songs, a metal band may not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, in 1989, the legendary and massively popular American metal band Metallica released one of their most popular songs of all time titled “One”. The Grammy award winning song was inspired by a World War I movie titled Johnny Got His Gun, in which a World War 1 soldier steps on a landmine and is left in a practically vegetative state. The song does not speak much of the war and its effect on the world, instead the song focuses on the damaging tolls it took on one singular