My neighbor's father was an American that served in WWI, married a french girl and stayed in France until he and the family escaped to Texas toward the end of WWII.
He tells the stories that his father told him about WWI. The gas, the horror. And the funny stuff, too.
He also tells the stories of his experiences during WWII as a young man in France.
War Sucks. No two ways around it.
BTW, I really shouldn't be giving sommelier advice. I just had the basics in culinary school. I'm better at giving zymurgy advice.
With rat, I would select a dark bock.
/johnny
War does suck.