Industrial warfare
Before World War I, wars were fought in lines, and each army would take turns shooting at each other (and typically missing). But the early 1900's brought technological advancements that made warfare different in nature. Industrial machinery allowed for the invention and mass production of war planes, new kinds of bombs, chemical warfare, and machine guns.
The unbelievable change of warfare
The result of new machines was that the game of war changed suddenly, without explaining itself to either side. Suddenly, the old ways of fighting wars was gone. But the change happened so suddenly that generals on both sides couldn't fathom the strategic differences that the amazing new war machines brought.
Therefore, it was maybe the most horrifying war of human history, because men were being commanded by their military leaders to climb out of the trenches one by one, and to try to infiltrate the enemy trenches. First of all, almost no one made it across the breach, because the machine guns were so accurate and easy to operate that it was easy to kill anyone who tried to cross. Then, once the person got across (if they did) they would be hysterically outnumbered. In other words, neither side knew what strategies to use.
Horror and tragedy in war
The most important point of view for Tardi seems to be that we should always remember the horrors of warfare, because we risk repeating past violences. The gruesomeness of WWI is surely worth remembering, especially because it reminds us that as technology progresses, what war is will change. The artist is exposing the truth of war, and the images are violent and painful.
