. Battlefields of the World War, western and southern fronts; a study in military geography . alsignificance. But from the summit a long stretch of the Airelowland is open to view, as well as a broad expanse of openplateau country to the north and the valleys bounding theForests of Cheppy, Montfaucon, and Malancourt on theeast. So long as the crest was held by the Germans the routenorthward through the Aire lowland was blocked, Allied obser-vation of enemy movements north of the butte was difficult or MEUSE PLATEAU 349 impossible, accurate Allied artillery fire on important enemysupply lines w
. Battlefields of the World War, western and southern fronts; a study in military geography . alsignificance. But from the summit a long stretch of the Airelowland is open to view, as well as a broad expanse of openplateau country to the north and the valleys bounding theForests of Cheppy, Montfaucon, and Malancourt on theeast. So long as the crest was held by the Germans the routenorthward through the Aire lowland was blocked, Allied obser-vation of enemy movements north of the butte was difficult or MEUSE PLATEAU 349 impossible, accurate Allied artillery fire on important enemysupply lines was prevented, and long-range German fire on Alliedpositions and communications was assured. Hence it was mostbitterly contested, and concentrated artillery fire soon battered itinto a shapeless mass of upturned earth (Fig. 85). It is the butteof Montfaucon, however, which best exemplifies the possiblevalue of such land forms. Situated near the high eastern crest ofthe Barrois plateau, in the midst of a vast upland clearing fromwhich valleys radiate outward and downward to the east, north,. Fig. 8s—The butte of Vauquois, transformed by the Germans into a strong pointbuttressing their line. Its military importance may be measured by the scars ofbattle which disfigure its once smiling slopes. (French official photograph.) west, and southwest (Fig. 84), this outlier of the Argonne dom-inates the whole region; its views extend for several leagues inevery direction. It is not only a remarkable observatory, butforms a strong point of support of advantage to an army wishingto defend the left bank of the Meuse opposite Vilosnes It was here that the Crown Prince was totake his station during the great Battle of Verdun. THE MEUSE PLATEAU The thin bed of clays at the base of the Barrois plateau donot give a conspicuous or continuous lowland in front of theescarpment. Only at the south does the upper Aire occupy a 7 Niox, quoted by Paul Joanne: Dictionnaire geographiq
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectworldwar19141918
