The highly contested forts at Verdun (Battle of Verdun, 1916), Fort Douamont, Fort Souville and Fort Vaux, were little more than storage sheds to the American army of World War Two; and during the four years of German occupation, the forts played a similar roll for that army as well.
This is a neat article that briefly touches on the importance of these structures during the previous war and what kind of flotsam and jetsam the GIs were able to find as they wandered about within (such as a skeleton). Of particular interest was a wall that was covered with the names of various combatants from all sides and from both wars:
“The American names are big and black and seem to blot out the others. One of them says”:
“Austin White, Chicago, Ill., 1918 and 1944.
This is the last time I want to write my name here“.
Click here to read articles about the African-American efforts during the First World War.
