THE WAR AT ELEVEN

The Western Front…the dividing line where German and the Central Powers armies fought the British and French (and later, American) troops.

 It was the 11th hour, the 11th day, the 11th month…1918....the gunfire was silenced as an agreement was reached between Germany and the Allies…. The “War to End All Wars” was over.

15 million deaths and 20 million wounded ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history. WWI culled the potential from a generation and changed the map of the world forever.



VERDUN

The sheer number of battlefield dead was staggering…turn around and look at some of the numbers...

Somme …57,000 British soldiers killed in one day….Marne … 500,000 dead…..Ypres where poison gas was first used….over 250,000 dead at the battle of Verdun. Allied dead at Gallipoli number 43,000…..Our Marines experienced what was, at that time, the bloodiest days in its history at Chateau-Thierry and Belleau Wood.

Somme

 It was a charnel house. It was fought with great technological advances in firepower without corresponding advances in mobility…it was fought with aerial attacks, submarines, poisonous gas, machine guns, and heavy artillery....and it was fought soldier to soldier from terrible trenches.   The technology was 20th century but the tactics came from the 1800’s with results that were shattering.

This was ARMISTICE DAY…so while we now honor ALL veterans …let us pause and remember where this day began…

IN FLANDERS FIELDS


In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,              
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

 – Lt.-Col. John McCrae ( died of pneumonia on January 28, 1918 )