The people's war book; history, cyclopaedia and chronology of the great world war . moral victoryfor the French arms and a chapter oflustrous glory added to their history. Ver-dun became the symbol of French defi-ance, and They shall not pass, thewatchword of Verduns defenders, be-came the national slogan. The Crown Prince already had anarmy of a quarter of a million before^^erdun. This was augmented by 300,000more within a short time after the attackbegan on February 21st. The stubborndefense and heavy German casualtiescaused the Kaiser to rush thousands morefor his imperial son to plaj^ with
The people's war book; history, cyclopaedia and chronology of the great world war . moral victoryfor the French arms and a chapter oflustrous glory added to their history. Ver-dun became the symbol of French defi-ance, and They shall not pass, thewatchword of Verduns defenders, be-came the national slogan. The Crown Prince already had anarmy of a quarter of a million before^^erdun. This was augmented by 300,000more within a short time after the attackbegan on February 21st. The stubborndefense and heavy German casualtiescaused the Kaiser to rush thousands morefor his imperial son to plaj^ with in hisvainglorious attempt. At one time sevenGerman army corps were actively en-gaged in the attack on Verdun. Oneestimate placed the number of Germangims of heavy calibre at .3,000. Most ofthe German general staff was moveddown to witness the accumulation of gloryby the Kaisers heir. But if there hadbeen some doubt expressed previously asto the Crown Princes military genius,the months that followed at Verdun andresulted in the great moral defeat to the 122 THE PEOPLES WAE BOOK. HISTORY OF THE WAR 123 German arms, left no doubt as to hisableness. The fortress of Verdun, on the RiverMeuse, guarded the eastern frontiers ofFrance. From the beginning to the lastcampaign of the war it was a point ofstrategical value, but the battle of Verdunproper may be confined to the direct at-tempt to take it exerted by the CrownPrince in those bloody months of one time 2,000,000 men were engagedin the struggle, of which more than1,200,000 were Germans. The casualtieswere horrifying, even to a world that hadbeen prepared by the death and sufferingof a year and a half of war. Staggeringas it may seem, military experts com-puted the total German casualties at be-tween 600,000 and 700,000 men. TheFrench losses prol^ably were more thanhalf that. The Germans, day after day,had relied upon mass assault to over-wlielm all resistance and when they werebrought to a halt or darkness fell, thedead
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectworldwar19141918
