"Now if we go back we will be weary, broken, burnt out, rootless, and without hope.  We will not be able to find our way any more."  Paul Baumer and his generation are commonly referred to as the "lost generation".  During the war they not only lost things such as their innocence, but they were also characterized by several traits, including but not limited to, patriotism and being loyal to their friends and the cause they were fighting for.

One of the most important things that Paul and his generation lost was their innocence.  Most were young adults, not even out of school yet, and they had to go off to war.  They were robbed of their youth, yet there was nothing they could do about it.  Throughout All Quiet on the Western Front there are many examples of how the young...