"In the account book of the Great War the page recording the Russian losses has been ripped out. The figures are unknown. Five millions, or eight? We ourselves know not"

This quote by Paul von Hindenburg speaks to the immense losses suffered by Russia throughout the Great War. The fact that the page recording the Russian losses has actually been removed implies that the losses were so excellent that it was too uncomfortable to tape-record them. The unpredictability of the variety of losses is likewise highlighted, with Hindenburg asking if it was 5 million or 8 million. This unpredictability speaks with the magnitude of the losses, as even those who existed do not understand the precise number. This quote functions as a reminder of the enormous human cost of war, and the tragedy of the countless lives lost in the Great War. It is a plain suggestion of the importance of peace and the need to pursue a world without war.