The U.S. Army may have gotten more than it bargained for when it recently asked on Twitter, "How has serving impacted you?"

The question, posed just before the nation officially marks Memorial Day, brought attention to "the real, painful, and horrifying human costs of war," said advocacy group Win Without War.

Observers described the responses, which came from veterans, their loved ones, and people from countries where U.S. has waged war, as "brutal" and "heartbreaking."

A sampling of the responses follows:

Veterans for Peace also drew attention to war's devastation

"Our message for Memorial Day is to remember all who have died in war and to understand that no one wins," said Michael McPhearson, the organization's executive director.

"There are people who profit from war, mainly those who invest in the defense industry or possibly the oil sector. But the veterans and civilians who survive war suffer for the rest of their lives," said McPhearson. "And the entire society is robbed of billions of tax dollars which could be spent on jobs, education, healthcare, infrastructure and sustainable energy."