Under Fire

Under Fire: The Story of a Squad is novel was based on Henri Barbusse's experiences as a French soldier on the Western Front. The novel takes the form of journal-like anecdotes which the unnamed narrator claims to be writing to record his time in the war. It follows a squad of French volunteer soldiers on the Western front in France after the German invasion. The book relates broad visions shared by multiple characters but beyond these the action of the novel takes place in occupied France. Under Fire describes war in gritty and brutal realism. It is noted for its realistic descriptions of death in war and the squalid trench conditions.

Henri Barbusse (1873-1935) was a French novelist and a member of the French Communist Party. He was a lifelong friend of Albert Einstein. Barbusse first came to fame with the publication of his novel Le Feu (translated as Under Fire) which was based on his experiences during World War I. By this time, Barbusse had become a pacifist, and his writing demonstrated his growing hatred of militarism.