The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1917-02-21
Crown Prince Started Attack
on Verdun on Scale Such as
Was Never Known Before.
HE LOST 100000 MEN.
Line To-Day Is Practically as 1t
Was Feb. 81, i9i6-Gen.
Nivelle the Hero.
By Henry Wood.


man assault on Verdun. Twelve
months OF tho most gigantic sleRo
operations in tho history OF mankind
have passcd-and to-day tho French
occupy almost precisely the same
positions they did Mt 7i5 a. NJ. Feb.
n. 1916. when tho German guns be-
gan their roar of artillery prepara-
ton.
Within one year Verdun has sound
ed tho death knoll Of Gormany's hopes
TO capture. Seven hundred thousand
Of her choicest soldiers have gone 20
death In vain efforts TO realize the
German Crown Princes fondest
hopes. The quantity OF war material
utilized and destroyed - In this
titanic twclve-month has been greater
than that ever so utilized In any
preceding battle.
For the first time in history also
tho defenders of tho bclcngucrcd
fortress have withstood the maximum
effort OF their assallants-and then,
taking tho offensive, themselves have
completely liberated their citadel
This page In French history has
not been written. however, without
tracing on Mother Earth marks that
may take as many years TO efface az
will DO required TO Wipe out from
the minds OF sorrowing thousands the
memory OF loved ones who went down
in the glorious defense.
Tho battlefield OF Nordun breathes
from every square inch OF it's Surface
tho incffnccable marks of the titanic
struggle that Is still CONFUSING the
ontiro soil. Some marks may be
obliterated In time. but others. in
cluding complete sterility OF soil, may
last forever.
Tho roar OF German artillery began
early In tho morning on Feb. 81.
1915, and before long resulted in a
massing Of pieces OF all calibres that
finally reached 1900 In number. tho
greatest artillery concentration IN
tho worlds history.
Vcrdun then was pastoral. Al
though ranking as one OF tho worlds
greatest fortrcsscs. tho whole aspect
OF tho country was peaceful. Its
fortlncations were hidden beneath
rolling green hills.
But now terrible mark stretches
across what wero these fair lands.
II extends on both sides OF the
Ii, . IA M
whore the Germans began tholr as
sault and on tho south by the line
nearest Vcrdun which they attained.
It IL deep. black. blood soaked
cash. II begins on the west bank OF
the Mouso at about Avocourt. and,
crossing the river, runs to ncar Abb
nucourt. II is between twelve and
ffteen miles in length. In width II
varies from n few hundred yards at
those points whore tho Germans
mado least Roadway to maxi
mum depth OF three miles, where in
their six months of struggling on
the Offensive the Germans made their
greatest approach. within The limits
~ this narrow crooked strip Of land
arc found Morthommc, INll 3Oi
Crows Wood Cumicrcs. DouImout
Thiaumont NduN, Ficuyy, Chcnois
and score OF other woods. Froid.
etcrre, Pepper IIill and dozen other
spots fought over for days and weeks
and months This is thc graveyard
OF the Crown Princes hopes, too.
There Is nothing in this strip to
meet the eye but shell churnod mud
and mud Of such impaipable frag
mcnts OF earth, stone, timber and
human bodies that a chemical analy-
sis would be necessary 70 determine
/ what the fragments are. Tho strip
is one vast pOcKmarkcd area. IL Is
lmprCgnatcd with the dcCaying flesh
OF It's dead and with Shiny, putrid
water In tho pockmarkS.
Those who died on THIS ptrip-and
the number mounts To moro than a
million had h,to, " amy, chance ot
ever finding another grave, Any effort
20 carry oil the dead meant merely
an additional sacrifice ot ne. Before
any human being could arrive 10
carry on "a dead soldier, IT was Tar
more probable that tho body would
be struck by she'll and driven deep
into the muddy, hloodstnincd earth.
\ little later another smell, close by,
might bring II Hgalu To the surface.
Others might scatter the human frag
ments everywhere.
Authorities doubt whether the strir
will ever again regain its fertility
They think FOR years To como IL will
show tho horrors NJ tho days thai
arc past 10y IT, monstrouA rlarinG
lack ~ vordurc, by ita black shrly,l.
led soil and It's hilcousncss across Tn,
face of fields that once hloou,d aut
hlossomcd An tho horror OF Verdur
is ccrtCrcd there.
But II this tragedy and Ehastli
ness IS written broad ON the strip
s there are other portions ~ the nci,
ga general whore one might even h,
proud of what human genius an,
r human VIII can accomplish i
were possible to forget tn, hl,uus
moss ~ tho h'ack rnsh
For miles back ,f tho battle from
the hills aud valleys of ih, Mouse au,
d D' N,r4un haNu u".N utu.ruruu
/ into One gl~tUtir military d,ryt r
, appreciate what now exists back "a
INlg1un II muat w remembered tha