es as saying, “This paradox made most of the English soldiers serving in the purgatorial trenches lose all respect for organized Pauline religion, though still feeling a sympathetic reverence for Jesus as our fellow-sufferer. Cross-road Calvaries emphasized this relationship (qtd on 119).” It is this comparison to Jesus Christ that would imply that living in the trenches is unbearable. Jesus led a life full of discrimination and persecution. Although Jesus was able to stay focused and passionate, it is doubtful that the soldiers of First World War could do the same. One definition of the word purgatory is a place or condition of suffering, expiation, or remorse (Dictionary). That definitely wouldn’t be a place of high morale. That is describing living in agony, pain, and basically horrible place to be. Those sorts of conditions would warrant an incredibly low morale. Morale is defined as the state of the spirits of a person or a group as exhibited by confidence, cheerfulness, discipline, and willingness to perform the task at hand (Dictionary). Morale is an important part of warfare for many reasons. Morale is what provides the will to fight and the drive to win. Without morale an army is in essence up a creek without a paddle. If an army has a low morale it is very difficult for that army to be successful in combat. Since morale is the willingness to perform the task at hand, it is an extremely necessary attribute to have in combat. Morale is needed to keep soldiers from neglecting the importance of listening to their commanders; otherwise all hell will break loose on the battlefield. There is no time in war for laziness or disgruntlement. That is what causes armies to lose battle. Sure there is strategy to war, but being assertive and willing is definitely a key to success, both on the battlefield and anywhere else in life. The conditions of the trenches did not in anyway encourage morale or even t...
