When the war started and it was time to recruit soldiers, no one was depressed or upset. Everyone was excited to have the chance to fight for their country. The wives and children were the only ones who worried a little about their families. Enthusiastically, the men marched towards their destination, even putting flowers in the barrels of their guns. They did not understand the potential of war and did not even consider the possibility of not returning home. Unfortunately, the soldiers did not realize this until it was too late. Death and morbid mental images would torment their lives. They fought from tunnels dug in the ground. Little narrow tunnels just deep enough to hide the top of your head. They called the tunnels trenches. Many have described the war as one fought from a great hole in the ground. The trenches were their place of safety. The other side of the trench wall was "dead man's land", a place where many people would lose their lives. The trenches faced problems such as pests, diseases, rodents, poor hygiene and poor weather conditions. In the film A Very Long Engagement, Bastoche was convicted of self-harm and sentenced to death. Bastoche was convicted because he accidentally blew off his finger while he had his gun in his hand to chase away the rats that tormented him while he slept. Rodents were a big problem in the trenches. They spread disease and gorge on human remains. Men reported seeing rats the size of house cats (Life in the Trenches of World War I). “In these cramped conditions, many parasites thrived. Lice, notoriously difficult to eliminate, were a constant problem; they reproduced themselves in the seams of the uniforms and caused the occupants to go there...... middle of paper......were unable to assemble. Many children have lost their fathers. Many soldiers were declared "missing" when no bodies were found to take home. It was a war in which every member of a family, fighting in or out of the war, found themselves defeated in one way or another. Bibliography “Illness and Injuries”. First World War Schools. BBC. Internet. February 28, 2014. . (Illness and injury)Campbell, John. “World War I: Medicine on the Battlefield.” Ncpedia. Np, and Web. February 28, 2014. . (Campbell) “Life in the Trenches of the First World War.” . Np, January 18, 2011. Web. February 28, 2014. . (Life in the trenches of the First World War) Christian Carion dir. "Merry Christmas." November 9, 2005. DVD.Jean-Pierre Jeunet dir. “A very long commitment.” October 27, 2004. DVD.