The conscripts were treated as cannon fodder.

征召入伍的士兵被当作炮灰。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

Long dismissed as "cannon fodder," as one immunologist puts it, the white blood cells known as basophils have been enjoying a Renaissance.

嗜碱性细胞长久以来被当作炮灰而遭到忽略，而如今，如同一名免疫学家所讲，迎来了它的复兴。

youdao

Its people are cannon fodder in wars with bordering states.

它的人民充当了同邻国交战时的炮灰。

youdao

The young are driven by sentiment, while cynical and power-hungry interests use them for cannon fodder.

NPR: A Poet Returns to Turkey in 'Snow'

She worries about them taking the subway at night, let alone becoming cannon fodder.

WSJ: Ringling Brothers' Air Apparent

In time he introduces me to several ex-gang members who are the cannon fodder of the drug war.

BBC: Picture power: Living dead of the drug war