The Washington times., 1917-02-21
100000 Germans Slain Dur
Ing Assaults by Crown
Princes Big Guns.
MILLION DEAD ON FIELD
Deep, BIood-soaked Cash IS
Miles Long Marks Scene of
Gigantic Operations.
ny HENRY WOOD, United Press Stan
-COrrespOndent.

correspondent
WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES AT
NERDUN, Feb. 21.-One year ago to-
day started the German assault on
Verdun. Twelve months of the most
gigantic siege operations in the his
tory OF mankind have passed, and to-
day the French occupy almost pre-
cisely the same positions they did at
7:15 a. m, February 81, 1916, when
the German guns began their roar OF
artillery preparation.
Within one year Verdun has sound
ed the death knen of Germany's hope
OF capture. Seven hundred thousand
of her choicest soldiers have gone to
death in vain efforts to realize the
German crown princes fondest hopes.
The quantity of war material utilized
and destroyed-in this titanic
twelve months has been greater than
that ever so utilized in any preced-
ing battle.
For the first time in history also
the defenders of a beleaguered fort
ress have withstood the maximum ef-
fort of their assailants-and then,
taking the offensive, themselves have
completely liberated their citadel.
France Pays Dearly.
This page in French history has
not been written, however, without
tracing on Mother Earth marks that
may take as many years to efface as
will be required to wipe out from
the minds of sorrowing thousands the
memory OF loved ones who went down
in the glorious defense.
The battlefield of Verdun breathes
from every square inch of its surface
the ineffaceable marks of the titanic
struggle that is still convulsing the
entire soil. Some marks may be
Obliterated in time, but others. in
cluding complete sterility Of soil, may
last forever.
The roar Of German artillery began
early in the morning On February q.
1916, and before long resulted in a
massing Of pieces Of AL calibers that
finally reached 2,6O0 in number. the
greatest artillery concentration in the
worlds history.
Great Fortress Pastoral.
Verdun then was pastoral Although
ranking as one of the worlds greatest
fortresses. the whole aspect Of the
country was peaceful Its fortificatioIs
were hidden beneath rolling green hills.
But now q terrible mark stretches
across what were these fair lands. 1t
extends on both sides Of the Meuse.
marked on the north by the line where
the Germans began their assault. and
on the south by the line nearest Verdun
which they attained.
It is a deep, a black, blooJ-soaked
cash. 1t begins on the west bank Of
the Meuse about Avocourt, h.'o. crossing
the river. runs to near Abaucourt 1t is
between twelve and fifteen miles n
length. In width it varies from a few
hundred yards at those points where
the Germans made least headway to a
maximum depth of three miles, where
tn their six months Of struggling on the
offensive the Germans made Iteir great
est approach
Within the limits Of this narrow,
crooked strip OF land are found Nor
thomme, Hill 304, Crows wood, Cum
ieres. Douaumont, Thiaumont. Vaux.
F1eury, Chenois and L score of other
woods; Froideterre. Pepper Hill. and a
dozen other spots fought over for days
and weeks and months.
Graveyard of Hopes.
This is the graveyard Of the crown
princes hopes. too
There is nothing in this strip to
meet the eye but shell-churned mud
and mud of such implacable frag-
ments of earth, stone. timber. and
human bodies that a chemical analysis
would be necessary to determine what
the fragments are.
The strip is one vast pock-marked
area 1t is impregnated with the de-
caying flesh OF its dead and with
slimp. putrid water in the pock
Thnaa rrrha So,
and the number mounts to more
than a million-had little, il any
chance of ever finding another grave.
Any effort to carry off the dead
meant merely an additional sacrifice
of life.
Before any human being could ar
rive to carry off a dead soldier IL
was far more probable that the body
would be struck by a shell and driven
deep into the muddy, bloodstained
earth. A little later another shell.
close by, might bring 1t again to the
surface. Others might scatter the
human fragments everywhere. The
elements OF human flesh now impreg-
nate every cubic inch of this soil.
Its Lasting Hideousness.
Authorities doubt whether the strip
will ever again regain its fertility.
They think for years to come il will
show the horrors of the days that are
past by its monstrous. glsring lack of
Verdurc; by its black. shriveIed soil
and its hideOusness across the face
of fields that will later bloom and
blossom. All the horror of Ecrdun is
Centered there.
But If this tragedy and Ghastliness
IS written broad on the strip, there
are other portions of the field in gen
eral where one might even be proud
of what human genius and human
will can accomplished IL were pos
Eible to forget the hideoUsness of the
black cash.
For miles back Of the battlefront
the hills and valleys OF the Mcuse
and of Verdun have been transform
ed into one gigantic military depot.
To appreciate what now exists back
of Verdun IL must be remembered
that this great establishment did not
exist at 7:l5 a. m. one year ago. In |
stead of the scores of railway lines
that now cross-check the whole CON
tributory territory for twenty miles !
back, there was only ono winding
railway that led into Nerdun.
Monument to NIveIIe.
1t must be remembered, in place |
OF the many bridges now EpanninE