The subject of powerlessness is present throughout Sassoon's poem "Counter-Attack." Sassoon underscores the futility of war and exposes how it is a pointless activity via his deft use of literary tropes and his great skills as an artist. He does this by using irony, metaphor, and other forms of imagery to describe his experience during these times of conflict. Sassoon uses the image of the counter-attack to convey that even though he is doing his best not to be defeated by the Germans, he knows that they will eventually overcome him. Even though he fights valiantly, he realizes that there is no hope for victory because violence is ultimately useless. Instead of fighting back, he chooses to endure the pain of battle rather than risk more serious injuries or death. In addition to being a figure of speech, the term "counter-attack" also has a literal meaning in war. During wartime, soldiers often use any means possible to attack their enemy. This could include firing guns, throwing grenades, or making direct attacks with weapons such as swords or spears. In this case, the act of attacking back is called a "counter-attack". Finally, the word "counter-attack" can also be used to describe a sudden action taken by your opponent in order to defeat your own plan.