WWI - Verdun: The Nightmare

güttsfükk · #1 05-19-2009, 07:53 AM

Quote:

The Battle of Verdun was one of the critical battles during World War I on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February to 15 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France. The Battle of Verdun ended with a French victory as the German assailants failed to capture Verdun and were pushed back close to their initial starting lines, on the right bank of the Meuse river, by December 1916. They also lost, in August 1917, what was left of their 1916 advances on the left bank of the Meuse river.

The Battle of Verdun resulted in more than a quarter of a million battlefield deaths and at least half a million wounded. Verdun was the longest battle and one of the most devastating in World War I and more generally in human history. A total of about 40 million artillery shells were exchanged by both sides during the battle. In both France and Germany it has come to represent the horrors of war, similar to the significance of the Battle of the Somme to the United Kingdom, the Battle of Gallipoli to Australia and New Zealand, or the Battle of Gettysburg to the United States. Major General Julian Thompson, a renowned British military historian, has referred to Verdun in the History Channel's : "1916: Total War", as "France's Stalingrad".

The Battle of Verdun popularised the words of admonition "Ils ne passeront pas" ("They shall not pass") addressed to his troops by General Robert Nivelle on 23 June 1916, after the last French positions on the way to Fort Souville had been submerged. At the beginning of the Battle of Verdun, on 16 April 1916, General Philippe Pétain had also issued a stirring order of the day, but it ended with the reassuring: "Courage ! On les aura" ("Courage! We shall get them").

güttsfükk · #2 05-19-2009, 07:53 AM

Part 2

güttsfükk · #3 05-19-2009, 07:54 AM

Part 3

some eerie footage on this part

güttsfükk · #4 05-19-2009, 07:54 AM

Part 4

they start discussing shell shock at 6:15

güttsfükk · #5 05-19-2009, 07:54 AM

Part 5

güttsfükk · #6 05-19-2009, 09:45 AM

not sure why i cant get them to work, I posted a message to chris, this docu had some great footage in it

Magenta · #7 05-20-2009, 02:29 AM

Hope they get working soon

güttsfükk · #8 05-20-2009, 09:34 AM

this one should work now

Hotstuff · #9 05-20-2009, 12:23 PM

really good post, enjoyed watching part 3 most, the old french man made me laugh, "no wine, no men" and i found it eerie at around 6 mins or so with the buildings in ruins today

MasacruAlex · #10 04-18-2010, 08:48 AM

thx

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