Sometimes I can read stories and cry because losing the character is sad, but while knowing that it's 'just' a story. Scenes like this especially get to me because they are based in reality. The thought of countless people around my age (25) and younger dying, for what? And they all had their own stories like this? My heart breaks.
And you'd think that people who read this would understand that you can't really blame someone for their political leaders' actions and decisions (to a certain degree)... War is hell.