Is source C likely to give an accurate impression of how soldiers in the trenches viewed their commanders?

Authors Avatar
Is source C likely to give an accurate impression of how soldiers in the trenches viewed their commanders?

In this question I shall be analysing what the soldiers thought of their generals and commanders. To do this I will be using Source C, my own knowledge and some other views from soldiers. Siegfried Sassoon was a British soldier during 1914 and 1917. Sassoon believed that the war was good and worthwhile but he changed his mind and became a pacifist. He didn't like the Generals and felt that they had no idea of what life was like in the trenches and he did not agree with their ideas. "But he did for them both by his plan of attack". This meant that he did not agree with the tactics that they employed against the Germans.

There are many advantages to poems. They are a reflection of the poets thoughts and their personal experiences. Also it would not have been subjected to all sorts of government checks as it was written for Siegfrieds personal collection. However some of the more famous poets got their poems published.
Join now!


The disadvantages of poems are that they can often be biased as it is the writers' opinions and they do not regularly give the full picture. They could also be overly exaggerated in the opinions of the writer.

Siegfried Sassoon was of upper middle class and experienced an Oxbridge education. He started the war as an officer. In 1914 he was all for the war. He wanted to make his family and friends proud of him. Sassoon was quoted to have said "war is a certainty" and that he would "meet whatever the war might ask of ...

This is a preview of the whole essay