World War I Memorial at Verdun France
by Janette Boyd
Title
World War I Memorial at Verdun France
Artist
Janette Boyd
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
Photo taken by my brother, John Noyes, of the World War I Memorial in Verdun, France.
Featured by the following FAA Groups:
*France Photography
*The World We See
World War I Memorial at Verdun, France
The artillery-shell-shaped tower at the ossuary in Douaumont, France, marks the final resting place for about 130,000 French and German soldiers who died in World War I. World War I, the "war to end all wars," ended on November 11, 1918, which is why we (and many other countries) celebrate veterans on this day. The battlefields of Verdun in France provide a poignant tribute to the 800,000 casualties suffered here during the horrific war of 1914-1918.
Verdun is in northeastern France, not far from the Champagne region, in a strategic location between Paris and the German border. In 1916, after two years of trench warfare, the Germans decided to strike a powerful knockout punch at the heart of the French defense; it would demoralize the enemy and force a quick surrender. They decided that Verdun would be the perfect target since it was almost surrounded, but the French fought to the bitter end. France eventually prevailed, but at a terrible cost.
Almost a century later, soft, forested lands hide the memories of World War I's longest battles, which raged here for over 300 days. It's difficult to imagine today's lush terrain as it was generations ago, a gray, treeless, crater-filled landscape, smothered in mud and littered with shattered stone. But the countryside still has its memories.
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/verdun-a-lesson-about-war
Uploaded
August 10th, 2016
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Viewed 843 Times - Last Visitor from Aliso Viejo, CA on 04/19/2024 at 3:48 AM
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Comments (4)
Donna Kennedy
Such a wonderful and moving image....F/L/T
Janette Boyd replied:
Thank you for your kind comment, fav, like and tweet! My brother, John, will be thrilled!