What was Remarque's aim in writing this book? Do you think Remarque achieved his goals in writing the book?

I think that Remarque's aim was to show the horrors of war from the German perspective. Much of war fiction happens to be from the allied perspective with the Germans as the enemy and different. Remarque wanted to share that the German experience in the Great War was no less brutal than say the French or British experience.

Remarque's obvious aim in writing this book was to point out that war is "hell." He was writing about a new type of war with new and deadly technologies, the most horrible war ever seen on earth. The men suffered greatly and became, for the first time in history a war which was destructive at every level. Remarque proves to the reader that no one went home "okay"; there was no honor in this war, no glory, no heroism. Remarque brought the reality of war to the reader who might never actually participate in a war. Yes, many would say he achieved his goals.