Verdun grinds up the French army
February 21, 1916
German guns opened on the Meuse heights, trying to bleed France white. For ten months the two armies fed men into forts and shell-holes with names like Dead Man and Vaux. Three hundred thousand died in a few square miles of ruined hills. They shall not pass, said Petain. Neither did the Germans, quite.
In context
Also in 1916 (6 other events on record)
- Somme's first day kills twenty thousand British · Europe · War
- Sykes-Picot carves up the Middle East · Middle East · Politics
- Easter Rising in Dublin · Europe · Politics
- Battle of Jutland · Europe · War
- Arab Revolt launched · Middle East · War
- Dada born at Cabaret Voltaire · Europe · Culture
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Era
Modern Era (1901–2000), one of 590 events from that era on Saeculum.