Yes, I think it's the comparative helplessness of men against machine guns/gas/various other bits of modern weaponry. When the army could fix bayonets and overrun the enemy in a death-or-glory charge, that was one thing, but once the charges became straight up death charges where you never overrun the enemy, then it was like, now hold on one fucking minute. IS is sweet and fitting to die for your country like this? IS IT?