Family and Friends convinced many men to go off to the war, saying it was an honour to represent their family and they they would smear their families reputation if they didn't go.
The encouragement from town members and Family
In the novel “All Quiet On the Western Front the groups teacher at school Kantorek strongly encouraged them to go to war. He had brought up the ideas of how war was the greatest thing ever lecturing his students about the war until most of them had marched to the recruiting office. These ideas include being worshipped as a hero when returning, fighting for the fatherland, experience and adventure as the war was only really meant to last a year. As the men were being sent off to the war large crowds of people came to celebrate their adventure and the men and women were proud of the men that were being sent off.
Paul Baumer (protagonist) is sent home for a leave as troops are trying to rebuild. As he arrives home many people among the town greet Paul, his German master, the local major and his father. They ask about the experiences of the war and what’s it like. “Now, what’s it like out there? The men are to believe that the men out there in the front are getting fed and treated better. “And after all, least you’re all fed well out there, I hear. You look good, Paul, fit. Naturally, things are worse here, of course they are, goes without saying, our soldiers come first.” Men at the bar bought him beer and gave him cigars to listen to his experience, as Paul was a first hand source to what the war was actually like.