Stinky unwashed people, fresh from bashing, cutting and slicing people apart, hand to hand.

Imagine WW1 trenches, wet, cold, disease ridden... Now add some unknown thing called ptsd from physically downing swaths of people, animals, things best left unseen... Now add Uber religion and superstition...a total lack of medical care....

Total hell on earth..

And I think you have the beginnings of an understanding.