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battle, the 1st world war, the and one of the most bloody the, it's the end of 1915, somewhere in the region of real time, some french soldiers are to distract themselves, projecting some films on the wall. for over a year. now, they've been at war with germany. this is how they were a caricature in the german emperor or wilhelm. the 2nd and the german soldiers with their pointy helmets and their super man called to

just look at this image and read the german army positions in the middle. the town of ad on the river moyes are running through it, and the hills all around the french who have built 30 or more fords. here to protect themselves from invasion from the east. the musical names. soon all the world will have heard of them. severe. below the no, let's take a look at the other side of the front. the german side,

the on this day, the german emperor or wilhelm, the 2nd has come to meet his military staff as well as his own son, the crown prince. the one with the hustler gets hit on his house, the tier, and the greatest secrecy, the germans were getting ready to launch in major offensive by unexpectedly attacking the strongest position on the whole front. they reckoned the french won't give up the town that they have done without throwing everything they've got into the battle and taken, crushed them before turning their sites on the british and winning the war the,

the emperor or has entrusted the task of leading the battle to his own son, this is him addressing his officers. his majesty calls us to the attack he sang. we must see that the sons of germany's will to win as hard as steel. the, at the beginning of 1916, the thousands of germans are converging unveiled on the just a few days after the heaviest on board mentioned military history. this massive force will throw itself at the french positions. it's going to be a fight the like of which the world has never known. a rifle men called rudy writes

to his parents the the german troops of doug, what they call stolen tunnels under the hills for cover in one of these boroughs 20 year old demons. booking the whole frights. i've got my rifle and 3000 cartridges by the door that you get the french on the run, the . the french are still completely unaware. they believe, therefore it's are in phone or adult, especially this one. do a moment the, it's

a state of the art underground city, strong enough to repel any attack the . the february 21st 1916. the german crown prints as guns felicia hurricane on the french lines, the french spider pilots. so he did 1200 german guns, looked like a lazy yellow line across the landscape.

the, we don't have many pictures of those 1st hours but take a look at this re colored footage. so reconstruction filmed with the survivors at the same spot. 10 years later, the we were deaf and one of themselves, i is bugging out blown upside down the . the germans fire off

a 1000000 shills that day. this is thomas leon. carpets shoveling the, it's like the end of the world. one lieutenant tells how post office theirs and their men are beginning to lose hope all we are doing is trying to save face. he says, before it all goes to hell the backend paris. the politicians are in shock. the commander of the french forces, general joseph himself. hans is always saying that val don't, is too well protected for the germans to attack it. he's even started to strip the

force of their guns and send them north to the some where he's preparing an assault with the british prime minister obviously put you on the one in the bowler hat warren so that he can't afford to lose any french territory. if you evacuate vietnam and selling the retreat, he says, you'll be dismissed immediately along with all of your chief of staff. within hours, an order from those chief of staff is fired off to the troops account on your to fight to the death that says while of waiting reinforcements. but it comes to late in just 5 days. the german steamroller crushes all the

villages around about done all the way up to do a month right below the fort. it's year that a certain shiny to go in. 25 years old is wounded and taken prisoner. the mexican french, the nightmare is only just begun the 25th of february for days after the beginning of the assault. now the germans are right up against the enormous fortress of to only 200 yards away from the supposedly impregnable summit. the handful of soldiers from brandenburg spurred on by the speed of the advance decides to have a go without telling the commanders the result to carry out one of the greatest feats of arms of the 1st world war one that will live on for many

years in german memory at their head and heedless of danger, captain, you all seem helped. slips through the bonds wire and jumped into the fortresses. mote the real danger is friendly fire. the german troops hasn't been told about this rate, so they're firing on their phone. man. that doesn't stop the troops from brandenburg getting into the strongest fortress in france right through the front door. because the place is almost fission for the troops. all are picturing the germans rolling across the country as they done half a century earlier, in 1870. if they had done files, france does to that's what people are thinking. the

put down new character arrives on the scene to be put down a complete unknown defense strategist. the ease handed the job of defending they had the ear, he's arriving it has each to for now, he's just another bit player urging on the troops soon, the he'll be the nation's biggest star. the what matters now for france has to get them into the front to block the german advance. it already seems like a lost cause. friendship and taken by surprise. they just weren't

ready. there's only one boat that links that down to the rear. alongside that single small train line, it's a farce contrast to the german front with its network of 14 greenway systems. the once the new general arrives, this country road becomes we have tons of physical course the sacred way as they begin to call much time sets a relentless pace. 6000 troops changes a day. the ladies roll day and night and the road has to be maintained day and night by thousands of laborers. fitz cuts, the battle is lost. a sacred way, straight into

a battle that's become a sacred cause. the and one of those trucks is a young lawyer. lieutenant. you've been very blood of friends this year. he writes in his diary, the over the next 10 months, 2 thirds of the french army will pass through here. $2500000.00 men, many of whose names will be inscribed on the monuments to the dead. they're defending their wives and their children, their homes, the end among these men marching to their fate. a rallying cries shall not pass the

dug in within the walls of to come to the germans. have any idea what's coming? it seems german reconstructions filmed after the war attempts to leave simon rollin sky high. in reality, though, they've suffered enormous losses. their advance has become much more difficult than it was to start with. and they're exhausted. especially these fragile young 18 year olds, the and the 1st to die is funds mock,

one of the greatest german painters of the 20th century. he was hit by a shell. he's realized right from the start, that this is a totally futile battle. all i see, he writes to his wife shortly before his death is the most frightful spectacle the human brain could ever imagine the crown prince and his father at the kinds are well aware of all the misgivings. the germans have only advanced 10 kilometers in 2 weeks. and there is no breakthrough in sight, but they just keep going. the camp loose face the

here so the battlefield looks to ban the to the rights to health by the germans. the, the artillery fits has placed on the west bank of the moines. and then the ford, some of, and national view is pending the germans down on the east bank the if the germans want to take their dogs, they'll have to destroy those guns. but to do that, they will have to take the 2 hills that stand in their way, coats, 3 or 4, and most on deck mans hill, the deadman until

acquired its name after a body was found there in the 19th century. every square foot at, at the same fighting to violence, to even contemplate today edit summit. there's a terrible monument, a skeletal figure trying victory. the on the 6th of march, the crown prince launch is the troops at dead man's hill the before their eyes. the hill explodes, the assault will go down in history as the hell of veiled on the

end of the year. in april 1916 is where the battle grinds to a standstill. the 2 armies are dug in face to face. they'll spend months trying to destroy each other but this is already a victory for the french. as pit time promised, the germans cannot pass it's time for him to speak the words that will make him famous throughout the world. courage will get his words at home. the new general will become a symbol of all france. the man who stood up to the germans. and the french will

remember this 25 years later, when the country falls to nazi germany in 1940 on deadman. until now, however, the boot is on the other foot. as the french put out more flags, the german scro increasingly on easy, especially the ones who has been captured by the french. we've been gravely deceived by our officers rides, young, ca, god, not to his mother. and other demands, we would like all those gentleman responsible for the war to come and fight at our side. if they'd done so, we would have had peace, long ago, the insect, although the french don't suspected germany is in crisis,

with the war, seemingly endless. some politicians are starting to question the sense of it. peace demonstrations are spreading. this is one in berlin, on the 1st of may, in the middle of the battle, the van don't. far left politician comes the next as her ringing the crowd down with the government. he says, down with the war right after he speaks, he's jailed to meanwhile, the move in the french capital was completely different. the one of the troops have been holding out on dead man's hill license almost returning to normal here,

almost as if the battle was actually being won. the civilians seen getting on with their lives and even having fun. have no idea that $60000.00 men have already died of that done and more are dying there at the rate of one every 2 minutes. by the spring of 1916, the germans are desperate for a rep that ends in the battle. on the french drain of glorious revenge that on the tale get their wish after 3 months of shilling, their down has been virtually destroyed. but the germans still haven't broken

through. and the town itself empty now, of all its inhabitants is still in the hands of the french. it's clearly a success for the french. and any war of attrition, a stalemate represents a victory of defending signed. and while soldiers are still being blown to smithereens, delegations arriving from all over the world to celebrate the resistance of a nation. this is the future king of serbia, an ally of france being welcome by the president of the republic. the journalists have been invited to an english correspondent writes, at that time, one feels an intense satisfaction. it would seem, a masterpiece, has been achieved. the

friendship stood alone against journey. the everyone knows that the germans shall never pounds, the battle ground to a halt. it is of no further strategic importance. it will still carry on for another 8 months. this statue by an openness to done that stands on the banks of the moines. there is an idea as a mood at the time the did speak. so frances, need to wipe away the insult and punish german. the

french counter attack comes on the 22nd of may. the troops scroll themselves into the fort. they defendants only 3 months earlier, but they were just to visit the dubious one. their generals, no getting the 4th back, won't help them break through the german lines. the whole area is locked down by artillery. but they still want of victory. and for a few hours, it seems within reach. the french rush, the front line, and get a foothold on the 4th before being designated by the german artillery. the disaster. 5000 dead wounded, were taken prisoner until for nothing

the, the survivors live back to their positions. among them, the lease mother shy who writes the dual mode has been taken last retake and the wounded look ghastly. one of them is crying, mommy and my little girl it's madness. we're wrong that the screws, it's the battle itself. that's gone. it's

about cried. you go and prestige, the, an industrial, more or technology counts on more than all the lives lost in slaughter is starting to run a mock the odds on either side of the front on roughly equal 200000 french against 200000 germans. all are dug in well to hide from the observation balloons that make them sitting target time has his troops on a rotation system. 10 days on the front line. 10 days on the 2nd line. then arrest back at the rear. and then back to the front line again. and that's where captain dale view is when he rides the field like an animal being herded into the twine.

60000000 shells. almost a 100 explosives per square meter. the dawn upon parchment never stops. the enemy mustn't be allowed to breed man or dying all the time. often with nobody, even noticing, there's no glory in the slaughter. it may when nature starting to bloom again, other places. the troops at dawn are still waiting to a landscape of mud lod excrement. and schumann slush

some men even drown in the shell craters of the what keeps them holding on are their loved ones. they are come a lot of mental call. the any sense of patriotism is long gone. the soldiers continue to fight out of routine. in a sense of duty and because they have no choice the beginning of june, general anybody's from fucking time head of the german army motors is meant to have another go which had done the he wants to can down the

french and stopped him from supporting the british further north on the some no one is really committed to the attack though. not even the crown prince. for him, the battle no longer makes sense. in my heart, the kaiser sun bore right? i was totally opposed to this offensive, but i had to obey orders. so i forced myself to appear completely confident the between the 4 to do a still in german hands and the 4th at the full, still held by the french. once more, the landscape burns the,

this reconstruction based on an aerial scan of the battlefield, shows the network of trenches and the thousands of show craters dawning, the landscape. the germans descend into the ravines, climb back up the hills, and eventually in circle the 4th of the inside or 400 french. they've had no water or munitions for several days now. and every day, 8 solid, some shells rained down on them. they are completely cut off, but they know the france is watching the it's here on the 4th of june that one of the most famous episodes of the battlefield dawn takes place when

the germans manage to breach the ford to a ton of the trench waiters attack with grenades, flame throwers in hand to hand with knives, the on both sides, fighting for glory and survival. the eventually the exhausted french surrender, the germans, they've just been trying to kill quote, them full military honors. the

did put all just end here, but that's not what happens the for having to convey to the germans have cleared the way to the next town and the next ford over there on the horizon. severe the from this rocky promissory, which they scale a month later on the 11th of july. they again begin to feel that victory is within reach. in the distance they can see they're done, and it's cathedral. their ultimate goal in the they never get their their final offense that will fail in

a village now wiped off the map flu. he was taken. and then we'd taken a dozen times in just 2 weeks. the, it's the very image of the whole battle to real quick and pointless. the 2 sides have been fighting for 6 months over a 100000 men are dead. the like many of his comrades. oh no. it's like a young writer. feels he's been sacrificed by his temper and his generals the, the war has been going on too long. you writes to his wife. just one more push. they keep telling us. in march, they set it in april. in may. in june the reinforcements arrived. even younger man, the,

the infantry struck at the very heart of the french. they told them they were defending their country, and they believed it. then they saw it wasn't working. whose fault is all this? the many people blamed fucking hind, chief of the german army. the man who was sent an entire generation of the country's young men to die the at the end of august, the kaiser. as fucking hein replaced the

general's plan, has been a total failure. the allies have been advancing on the some since early july. the minutes that are needed elsewhere. and now romania has declared war on germany. so fucking, china is packed off a day or as a punishment. he's replaced by 2 generals from the eastern front ethics. we wouldn't off and poly fun hindenburg. the engine block on the left will become president of germany after the war. he's the figure who in 1933 for the point at all hitler, chancellor of germany for the time being though easier to put an end to a battle that was supposed to be decisive for germany. but instead, a work french patriotism, like no other action in the war, the

but this is fair don't. so it never ends. for the french, it's no longer a battle. it's already become a legend. an x, a central struggle for their country survival. things are different on the sun where a murderous british and french offensive spring going on since the 1st of july. but that's just a joint operation with the british. so it's having a little impact on public opinion in france or the countries collective memory. you

know, it's here in the market, fair french once they are revenge, they say they want to secure the region, but what they really want is glory. between september and december of 1916 will cost the lives of 47000 more frenchman. general kitchen has brought in the big guns. they fire one ton shells the size of an 8 year old child, as they like to say the on the 24th of october. the french make one last assault on the

latest icon of their national nest. the ends, 9 months after the ford's capture by the germans, the french finally managed to retake this time for the crown prince's troops surrendered in droves. 140000 germans have died at val, dawn, and another 190000 have been wounded. all in a battle that did nothing to effect the course of the war,

the, the french losses were even heavier. 160000 dead, and 210000 wounded. but the french got their victory in the end. the tactical errors, the humiliations, all behind them now. and when the snow is con, december of 1916, the battle is officially over $300.00 days of fighting. it would take another 8 months to win back the forest of cool and dead man's hill. and another 2 years for the war to end the soldiers,

these husbands, his father's had taken bravery to the very limits they left behind thousands of or sons. and they would ask, was a glorious this battle or was it just absurd? oh that was a century ago. the trauma of the great wars, longest battle of the

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state of leaders life from berlin. criminal harris gets a very important phone call. we called to say, michelle and i couldn't be prouder to torture, to do everything we can to get you through the selection of the tenants available for rock and michelle obama endorse the now, more than likely democratic nominee for the us presidential race is also coming up suspected sabotaged on francis high speeds range just hours before the non duration of the olympic game. acts of vandalism, including arson, a top are causing delays and disruption of the french rail network just as the mix .