The Theft of Kemmerich's Watch and Boots

War is a very gruesome thing. When we think of war we immediately think of guns and the people dying. However there is more to war then we know. Soldiers fight day and night, live in poorly maintained camps in small rooms, and some even get captured and tortured for information by the enemy. Soldiers see their friends and people they have worked with all this time die. The story "All Quiet On the Western Front" is by far the closet book that displays the gruesome life in war. The "spoils of war" is shown by the theft of Kemmerich's watch and boots. A fellow soldier of Kermmerich, Muller planned to steal Kemmerich's boots and watch since he had to get his leg amputated. To Kemmerich, the watch and boots mean a lot and are of great value to him. Muller wanting to steal the boots symbolizes the greediness inside of him to take something that is vital to someone else's survival. This shows the actually situation in war other than the guns and killing we all imagine. Everything is a "give or take" in war. There are no second chances when your life can be taken away at any point. These two events display that everyone has to be selfish if they want to survive in war. They can't be emotional because they will lose their own life and the person they're emotional for's life too. These events are different also because Muller actually waited until Kemmerich died. This is very important because he would and could use it before he died. Muller respecting this idea shows that although he is greedy and selfish, he can control it and wait for the right time with his respect. The message out of this action is that anyone will do anything to keep their moral up in war and survive in it.