European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 29, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The bloody glory of by Dontate Stafl Wriler he general s plan was diabolical conceived to end the War that was supposed to end wars it became the bloodiest Battle in Iho history of the would. A ghastly memorial to senseless Slaughter ending nothing but lives february 1916. The War on the Western Forl was erred in a mud and ranches of stalemate millions of germans and French and englishmen were living like rodents in holes struggling Back and Forth through Harocd wire charging blindly into the voracious gaping maw of a meal machine thai gobbled Uick up one after another and yawned Lor mob Over More. Ii would gel worse. Gen Erich Vonfel kenyan. Comma Derot lha German army believing the limits of German manpower could not win or Long sustain such a Connill. Hatched his plan to Shock the French out Mohe War to bleed the French while in one terrible set piece Battle of Alwi Ion. Bui even his own commands re including Uvo Crown Prince Wlhelm. Kaiser Wilholm ii b son would have been shocked in Hoy could have peered into the general s tortured thinking. He looked Lor a place of Greal sentimental and historic value a place the loss of which would so grievously prick French Pride Hal they would expend rivals of blood to defend in. There was. On the mouse liver. Such a place. An a Cieni fortress and Symbol of French Honor and glory who a the sons of Charlema grf and divided up drum inc Verdun Wheeling Mlo position 72 battalions of Iranon mid More than 1,200 Ting in ins. Mine in rotors and mor  i. Including the  dig berths with Iown  shells Chi Grimany massed Lor Altal then Early on Tho Mornier Nijol fell 2t.bohinrlnn Arl Illery barrage of 10g, rounds per hour  Wilh burning elect a Iron us six Ntilis wide the germans  before or since was there  a  Arl Illery within one limited sector Trolo Ito military historian 5 la Marshall the French had remained almost Blind a in. Buildup. So Blind they had reduced heir Gammons and virtually stripped their ring of formidable forts around Verdun of Cannon explaining thai the men and guns were needed Lor More Sercus Battles. Even the impenetrable for Douay Mon which look 27 years to build Lor Battle Felt with the Lisl assault. Opening their eyes the French began to pour divisions into Verdun and Eric von Falkenhayn cheered them on the More frenchmen the better his plan was working. The River of blood was running deep. But Falke Irmyn 9 own comr Nanders Scro confused their general Kepi the front so narrow there was Lille Chance of a decisive German break through moreover he gave his attacking Force jus enough reinforcements to keep the Battlo going but never enough to end it. A More diabolical plan is beyond imagining says Marshall. Falkenhayn s plan was to get As Many  on Pago a is the Egan of the wares depicted in Tow memorial to Saum of Vait Iun. Sunday May 29, 1sb8 the stars and stripes Page 13