---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: up to the belly. When the attack starts I…"
description: "\"“up to the belly. When the attack starts I will let myself fall into the water, with my face as deep in the mud as I can keep it without suffocating. I..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/erich-maria-remarque-568_face-deep_up-to-the-belly-when-the-attack-starts-i_113620.jpg"
---

#  up to the belly. When the attack starts I will let myself…

![“up to the belly. When the attack starts I will let myself fall into the water, with my face as deep in the mud as I can keep it without suffocating. I must pretend to be dead. Suddenly” quote by Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/erich-maria-remarque-568_face-deep_up-to-the-belly-when-the-attack-starts-i_113620.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/erich-maria-remarque-568_face-deep_up-to-the-belly-when-the-attack-starts-i_113620.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/erich-maria-remarque-568_face-deep_up-to-the-belly-when-the-attack-starts-i_113620.jpg)

> ““up to the belly. When the attack starts I will let myself fall into the water, with my face as deep in the mud as I can keep it without suffocating. I must pretend to be dead. Suddenly””

[Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A desperate survival tactic: feigning death in mud to escape an attack while avoiding drowning.

**In simple terms:** Pretend to be dead to survive a lethal assault.

Key Takeaway

Feign death as a strategic escape.

Themes

survival tactics psychology danger

Mood

tense determined

Type

survival advice war narrative

When to use this quote

- combat situations
- natural disaster evacuations
- hostage rescues

Key Concepts

self-preservation risk management

Practical Applications

- use in training for emergency responders
- scenario planning for military drills

Questions to Reflect On

- When is deception justified in life‑or‑death scenarios?
- What ethical lines are crossed when feigning death?

A Different Perspective

May be ineffective if attackers detect the ruse, leading to capture.

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