Verdun (1916 February 21 to 1916 December 18) was the largest battle between the French and Germans in WWI: about 350,000 casualties on each side. Several small villages around Verdun were completely obliterated by shelling, including Fleury, shown here. My picture shows the post-war chapel in the center, and ground on the left and right with the telltale wavy shape of ground that’s been obliterated by shelling.
To alleviate German pressure on Verdun, the British attacked in the Somme Valley from 1916 July 1 to 1916 November 18. The carnage was even worse than Verdun: about 420K British casualties, 200K French, and 465K German, with 60K British casualties on just July 1. My picture shows a British trench at Newfoundland Memorial Park, where Newfoundlanders suffered 90% casualties trying to cross no man’s land on July 1.
Allied forces landed in Normandy on 1944 June 6 to begin the liberation of Nazi-occupied France. American, British, and Canadian forces landed on five beaches, with the Americans landing at Omaha and Utah beaches. This picture is Omaha Beach.
Utah Beach.
View from a German bunker at Pointe Du Hoc, between Omaha and Utah beaches.
