The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1916-04-05
BLOODIEST BATTLE
OF EUROPEAN WAR
THE MIND CANNOT GRASP THE
HORROR OF THE CONFLICT
RAGING BEFORE VERDUN.
IN FRIGHTfUL ARTILLERY FIRE
Forests Have Been Swept Away Like
Chaff. and Hill Tops Blown Into
Dust. Hundreds of Thousands Hill
ed and Wounded in Charges.

ed and Wounded IN Charges
The battle being fought between
the French and Germans about Yer
dun is one of the bloodiest in all his
tory. 1t began on the morning OF
February 21st, and is still not ended
although the fighting is less severe
now than in the earlier stages. In
the size of the forces engaged it will
rank with the greatest struggles thus
far in the present war, while in the
extent of the destructive forces loosed
it exceeds all others.
Yet it will not be known as one OF
the decisive battles of The world. 1t
has revealed anew the almost super
human valor that inspires the Ger
mans and the French; it has shatter-
ed some confident theories OF mill
tary experts, and it has Uttered the
riven soil of a wide region with
corpses. But it has not given victory
to the side which won ground, nor
inflicted defeat upon that which lost
it. All the carnage and herOism and
hellish fury of unparalleled conflict
leave unsolved the dreadful problem
that confronts Europe and civiliza-
ton.
1t is not surprising that the mind
of the unframed observer becomes
confused in trying to search out the
meaning and measure the effects of
this appalling encounter, for experts
themselves do not agree.
Some of them hold that the fall OF
Verdun would mark the crumbling
of the French defense and would be
the prelude for an irresistible on
slaught toward Paris. Others count
the French defeat. considering the
losses of the assailants, as vir-
tual triumph, and marvel that any
one should imagine the stronghold of
Importance or it's capture worth the
sacrifice required. The German staff
has exhibited profound sagacity or
insane folly and recklessness, accord
ing to the predictions of this or that
writer. And the official reports, with
their more conflicting claims, are
hardly more Illuminating.
1t is possible, however, to under
stand some of the simpler factors and
results from study OF known cOndi-
ditions. The first fact to be grasped
is that Verdun, in a military sense,
is not a single fort, but whole for
tilted district The town lies in the
valley of the M7use, thanked on the
side of the enemy by ranges of hills,
and was encircled by 20 forts and
unnumbered trenches, entangiements
and gun emplacements and all the
elaborate works which modern mill
tary engineering could devise.
Here, in an area OF 20 or rs miles
wide and from to miles deep. !
nearly 100000 man have been bat |
Ting for several weeks. The cannon
employed number in the thousands. |
In the first four days. it is estimated, |
100000 big shells were frHG; the
roar of the guns could be heard at
Marburg. 1873 miles away. The Ger
mans say they have taken more than
10000 prisoners; they declare they |
have put out of action not fewer tlan |
100000 French while their own loss
es in killed alone, their opponents |
say, have been as many.
Mind Fails to Grasp Its Horror.
Of the horrors of that vast battle
field no one except the survivors can
have any conception. Before each as
sault the Germans poured upon the
chosen ground ceaselesS cataract
of huge shells that literally churned
up the earth, the trenches, the entan-
elements. Woods of great trees were
levelsd by the fire as grain fails be-
fore the scythe; massive structures
of granite and steel and concrete
were reduced to fragments the tops
of hills were blown off; streams were
damned and turned from their usual
courses. On one section of the works
measuring 900 by $50 feet 1000 de-