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Battle of the Somme

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May 11th 2015
Today I moved from looking at WWII sites to looking at WWI sites. The Somme River and the battles that took place here, especially in 1916, have come to epitomize the futility of WWI trench warfare. My first stop was the excellent Historial de la Grande Guerre, a museum in Péronne, France that clearly and concisely lays out the history of WWI. It does not indulge in patriotic boosterism, but inst ... read more

Europe » France

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Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader am... ... read more