File:The people's war book; history, cyclopaedia and chronology of the great world war (1919) (14595149559).jpg

Identifier: peopleswarbookhi00mill (find matches)
Title: The people's war book; history, cyclopaedia and chronology of the great world war
Year: 1919 (1910s)
Authors: Miller, J. Martin (James Martin), b. 1859 Canfield, Harry S. (from old catalog), joint author Plewman, William Rothwell, 1880- (from old catalog) Foch, Ferdinand, 1851-1929 Lloyd George, David, 1863-1945 United States. President (1913-1921 : Wilson)
Subjects: World War, 1914-1918 World War, 1914-1918
Publisher: Cleveland, O., The R.C. Barnum co. Detroit, Mich., The F.B. Dickerson co. (etc., etc.)
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
that a con-centration of the enemys forces was inprogress on the Verdun front, but nogreat belief was entertained that the Ger-mans would attack at this point, andthough Verdun was reinforced, and allpreparations were made for the assemblyand supply of a French army of 250,000men in the vicinity, the local defense wasleft to a comparatively weak force oftroops under General Herr. And uponthis force the first blows fell with dam-aging effect. Opening fire at 7:15 A. M. on Feb-ruary 21st, the Germans overwhelmed theadvance defense of the French nortliwardof Verdun on the right bank of theMeuse, obliterated the trenches, destroyedthe bomb proof covers, and by the use ofbarrage fire, rendered reinforcement dif-ficult. For four days and nights the localtroops resisted with the utmost courage;but each center of resistance was beatendown by heavy shells and gradually, aftera noble resistance, many counter attacks,and a stout defense in each successiveposition, the garrison was driven back to
Text Appearing After Image:
The K. of C. Administering Hot Soup to a wounded man in the Argonne Forest. 124 THE PEOPLES WAR BOOK the line Douaumount-Bras by February24tli, and on the 25th, lost Douauraontfort. The situation liad become critical.The French Higher Command had beenbound to hold its hand until the directionof the German blow had been ascertainedbeyond all doubt. But before the 25th,the necessary decisions by Generals Joffreand de Castelnau had been taken, and onthe evening of that day, General Petaintook over the command and with his war-tried Second Army entirely transformedthe situation. A splendid counter-attack,in which General Balfourier and the 20thArmy Corps figured most conspicuously,checked and threw back the German floodof assailants on February 26th; the troopsof the old garrison were relieved; the ar-tillery of the defenders was gradually andgreatly strengthened; the French airmenbegan to regain the ascendancy in theirelement, and the German hope of cap-turing Verdun in a few days was at

Note About Images