The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-04
Associated Press Correspon-
dent Ma kes Visit to the
Noted battle-ground
APPALLING LOSSES
OF ATTACKING ARMY
City of Verdun Has Been Wrecked
by Falling Shells-The Germans
Are Steadily Being
Driven Back

verdun, September 2.-(via Paris Sep
TENDER 3.)-Under the escort of General
D., commander of the citadel of Yer
dun throughout the bombardment, the
correspondent of the Associated Press
made circuit of the entire town and
surrounding Notifications and heard the
grim old hero sum up just what had been
done and how the military balance sheet
stands after these many months strug-
gle.
1t was the first time in several months
ted to Verdun, and it gave the first OPP
portunity to view the extent of the recent
destruction and particularly the status of
the defenses since the French turned the
tide by taking the offensive and recap
turing the strategic key of Fleury.
One of the outstanding impressions from
this days tour among all ranking officers
and to all strategic points was the abso-
lutte conviction of those on the ground
that the fight for Verdun is over and
that any prospect of the Germans talk
was equally evident from the strength and
fierce activity of the positions the Ger
mans hold that they are still keeping up
the fight, but in steadily diminishing in
tensity.
DISASTROUS LOSSES
The German losses before Verdun now
are known to reach a half million men,
while the French losses are less than
half that number.
1t is the belief in well informed quar-
tiers that the Germans will gradually let
go of Verdun and before winter will try
to shorten their lines along the whole
western front by a steady retrograde
movement Many officers say that Ru-
mania's entrance into the war will pre-
cipitate the withdrawal and an early Ger
man collapse. But more conservative au-
thorities feel that Germany will hang
on for sometime before yielding to entente
allied military and economic superiority.
General D first led the way to the
highest point on the walls encircling YER
dun and there pointed out the layout of
the contending forces. From this point
of vantage commanding the entire bat
licllelu NeTUuH looked like the center OF
a huge saucer The dangerous proxin-
ity the Germans had once reached
was apparent when some Of their posi-
tons from which they had been driven
were pointed out on the encircling crests
looking down on Verdun itself. This,
however, now is regarded as evidence
that the German effort has spent itself,
for after coming to the top of the hill
and looking down on the promised land,
the furious French attacks turned them
back and now hold them firmly. we'll
away from these crests.
COMMANDMENT CONTINUES
An intermittent bombardment continues
from Forts Tavennes Soueville st. Mi
chael and Befleville, which were barking
steadily and giving off jets of black
smoke. The German cannonade sounded
like distant roar and each day seems
yet further away and less terrible than
in the crucial days of the battle
But the Smelling goes steadily on and
$1,000 shells fell inside the limits of YER
dun during the battle. The daily number
of these shells was seldom below 800 and
one day $50 were counted. AS the party
stood there, French aeroplane was at
tackled by German gun, shrapnel BURST
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