When the war began and the time came to recruit soldiers, no one was depressed or upset. Everyone was excited to have the chance to fight for their country. Wives and children were the only ones who were even a little worried about their families. Excitedly, the men marched towards their destination, even placing flowers in the barrels of their rifles. They did not understand the potential of what war could be and did not even consider the possibility of not returning home. Unfortunately, the soldiers would not notice until it was too late. Death and morbid mental images would plague their lives. They fought in the underground tunnels. Small, narrow tunnels that are deep enough to hide the top of the head. They referred to the tunnels as trenches. Many described the war as fighting from a large 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. Problems plagued the trenches, including: pests, disease, rodents, lack of sanitation, and poor weather conditions. In the film A Very Long Engagement, Bastoche was found guilty of self-mutilation and sentenced to death. Bastoche was convicted because he accidentally blew off his finger while holding the gun, chasing away rats that tormented him during his sleep. Rodents were a big problem in the trenches. They spread disease and gorge on human remains. The men reported seeing rats the size of house cats (Life in the Trenches of World War One). “In the cramped conditions many parasites thrived. Lice, notoriously difficult to eliminate, were a constant problem; they formed in the seams of the uniforms and forced the occupants to... means of paper... were unable to reunite. Many children have lost their fathers. Many soldiers were listed as “missing” when no bodies were found to bring home. This was a war in which every member of the family, fighting in or out of the war, found themselves defeated in some way. Bibliography "Illness and wounds". First World War Schools. BBC. Network. 28 February 2014. . (Illness and injury) Campbell, John. "World War I: Medicine on the Battlefield." Ncpedia. Np, nd Web. 28 February 2014. . (Campbell)"Life in the trenches of World War I." . Np, 18 January 2011. Web. 28 February 2014. . (Life in the trenches of the First World War)Christian Carion dir. “Joyeux Noël.” 09 November 2005. DVD.Jean-Pierre Jeunet dir. "A very long engagement." October 27, 2004. DVD.