# Part IV: A Winter of Discontent explained — Now It Can Be Told > Chapter companion for Now It Can Be Told by Philip Gibbs. ## What happens The winter of 1915 is described as the worst period of the war, marked by hopelessness, relentless mud, and futile trench warfare. The chapter contrasts the earlier optimism of 1914 with the grim reality of 1915, where small attacks and raids ordered by high command lead to heavy casualties without strategic gain. It includes a bitter critique of General Headquarters (G.H.Q.) as a closed, tradition-bound corporation rife with rivalry and ignorance, and highlights the suffering of soldiers from trench-foot and the extraordinary courage of men like a West Riding sergeant who jokes after losing a leg. The Hohenzollern redoubt is depicted as a worthless, deadly position that generals insist on holding. ## Themes in this chapter ### Futility of War The chapter emphasizes the pointlessness of small attacks and raids that only increase casualties without achieving any meaningful result. ### Betrayal by Leadership The officer's critique of G.H.Q. highlights incompetence, arrogance, and a disconnect from the realities of the front, betraying the trust of soldiers. ### Comradeship and Human Spirit The courage of soldiers like the West Riding sergeant who jokes after losing a leg demonstrates the indomitable human spirit amidst suffering. ## Character check-ins ### Unknown Narrator The narrator reflects on the hopelessness of the winter of 1915, recalls conversations with officers, and visits the Hohenzollern redoubt. ### The Officer A bitter, mocking officer who dined with the narrator and delivered a scathing critique of G.H.Q., its traditions, and its disconnect from the front. ### The British British soldiers endure trench-foot, mud, and constant bombardment; their spirit is exemplified by a sergeant who jokes after losing a leg. ### The Germans German forces counterattack with mines, trench-mortars, and poison gas; they reoccupy parts of the Hohenzollern redoubt. ### The Scots Guards The Scots and Guards who followed them suffered heavy losses at the Hohenzollern redoubt after the Battle of Loos. ## Key lines > Futile, foolish arguments, while men were being killed in great numbers, as daily routine, without result! The debates about war ethics and politics seemed pointless as soldiers died daily with no progress. _Highlights the absurdity of intellectual discussion in the face of mass death._ > They were, he said, intrenched behind impregnable barricades of old, moss-eaten traditions, red tape, and caste privilege. The officer described G.H.Q. as protected by outdated traditions, bureaucracy, and class bias. _Critique of the entrenched and unresponsive military leadership._ > The spirit of the men fought against all that misery, resisted it, and would not be beaten by it. The soldiers' morale remained unbroken despite the terrible conditions. _Emphasizes resilience and defiance in the face of hardship._ > It seemed to me a place not to gain and not to hold. The narrator saw the Hohenzollern redoubt as worthless and not worth the cost to capture or defend. _Expresses the futility of holding tactically insignificant ground._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/now_it_can_be_told_se/chapters/part-iv-a-winter-of-discontent - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/now_it_can_be_told_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/now_it_can_be_told_se/chapters