Verdun: Vision and Comprehension - The Battlefield and Its Surroundings

Front Cover, Verdun: Vision and Comprehension - The Battlefield and Its Surroundings, 1984. GGA Image ID # 17e063422a

Verdun: Vision and Comprehension - The Battlefield and Its Surroundings,  © 1984, Editions Image, Drancy, France, Paperback, 96 Pages, 84-378-1005-1.

192 Color Photographs with 12 Maps and Plans of the Verdun area which was a battlefield in both World Wars. Includes maps and listing of cemeteries in the Verdun area.

The Battlefield of Verdun in the Great War

The battlefield of Verdun carries its own story of the tremendous struggle which make« it the most famous of the great war. We visited it on a beautiful December day—the best weather of our whole trip.

The atmosphere was clear and we could see from Fort Vaux and other hills the whole great panorama. Douaumont, Souville. Fleury, Dead Man's Hill and all the rest.

Every tree of the dense wooded hills has been shot away, every foot of ground churned up with shell holes, the hillsides covered like hideous lace work with trench lines and parapets which show white in die chalky soil.

The hills on which the battle was fought are several miles from the city and almost entirely surround it. forming a wonder, fully strong position for defense. The Germans surrounded Verdun on two-thirds of the circle.

The town itself is less damaged than I had thought. It has little strategic value, and as it could only be reached by German heavy guns, they evidently preferred to reserve these for the fortifications.

The Citadel in the outskirts of the town its largely built under a hillside with galleries and chambers accommodating 12.O00 troops. We were shown through it and saw General Petain's headquarters.

-- Henry G. Lord, Eight Weeks in England and France: The Story of a Visit to Historic Ground in November and December, 11 January 1919

Back Cover, Verdun: Vision and Comprehension - The Battlefield and Its Surroundings, 1984. GGA Image ID # 18201122dc

Contents:

Verdun: From the Town's Origins to Modern Times

• The Site
• The Town’s Lay-Out in the Middle Ages
• The Abbey of Saint Vanne
• The Romanesque Cathedral
• The Cloister
• The City Walls in the Middle Ages
• The Museum of La Princerie

Classical Verdun

• The Cathedral
• The Bishop’s Palace
• Hôtel de Ville
• The Chapelle du Collège
• Verdun and War
• The Citadel - Gates (Saint Victor, de France, du Secours, du Champ)
• Porte and Abbaye Saint Paul

Verdun Today

• The Victory Monument
• The Underground Citadel
• The Cemetery of Faubourg Pavé
• The Ossuary
• The Maps of the Battle of Verdun
• Vauquois - Les Eparges
• The Battle of Verdun
• The Museum / Memorial of the Battle of Verdun
• Fleury
• Douamont Fort
• Vaux Fort Froideterre - Thiaumont - Souville - Quatre Cheminees - La Poudriere
• Bayonet Trench
• Bois des Caures
• The "Holy Path"
• Mort-Homme-Hill 304
• The Argonne
• The Americans
• Saint-Mihiel
• Varennes-En-Argonne
• Montmedy
• The Cemeteries
• Map of Verdun

Acknowledgements

The Editors wish to thank all those people who have so kindly helped them, and would like to emphasize particularly the assistance of Monsieur Gérard CANINI. University Agrégé, with the text They also thank the "COMITE NATIONAL DU SOUVENIR DE VERDUN." Monseigneur Pierre BOULON. Bishop of Verdun. and Monseigneur ROUYER. the Canon, for their help.