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27,000 French soldiers were killed in combat on this day 110 years ago...
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:11 pm
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:11 pm
August 22, 1914.
During the infamous Battle of the Frontiers - fought throughout the latter part of the month along the Franco-German-Belgian borders - the French army suffered the bloodiest day in their history at three separate engagements: one in Lorraine, another in the Ardennes Forest, and another at Charleroi in Belgium. These clashes, spurred on by the French offensive known as Plan XVII, were fought in classic Napoleonic linear formations. What was worse, French soldiers wore bright-colored uniforms that made them perfect targets for German machine gunners and artillerymen.
Though exact casualty figures for this day are unknown, it is estimated that 27,000 French soldiers were killed and tens of thousands more were wounded on August 22, 1914, making this the worst day in the history of the French army. For the month of August as a whole, the French lost between 75,000-85,000 men killed and an additional 150,000-200,000 men wounded.
It is a miracle that France and its armies survived the month of August and even more of a miracle that they held on to win the war outright with their British and (later) American allies in tow.
During the infamous Battle of the Frontiers - fought throughout the latter part of the month along the Franco-German-Belgian borders - the French army suffered the bloodiest day in their history at three separate engagements: one in Lorraine, another in the Ardennes Forest, and another at Charleroi in Belgium. These clashes, spurred on by the French offensive known as Plan XVII, were fought in classic Napoleonic linear formations. What was worse, French soldiers wore bright-colored uniforms that made them perfect targets for German machine gunners and artillerymen.
Though exact casualty figures for this day are unknown, it is estimated that 27,000 French soldiers were killed and tens of thousands more were wounded on August 22, 1914, making this the worst day in the history of the French army. For the month of August as a whole, the French lost between 75,000-85,000 men killed and an additional 150,000-200,000 men wounded.
It is a miracle that France and its armies survived the month of August and even more of a miracle that they held on to win the war outright with their British and (later) American allies in tow.
12
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:14 pm to RollTide1987
quote:
French soldiers wore bright-colored uniforms that made them perfect targets for German machine gunners and artillerymen.
Bright red pants were a terrible idea.
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:16 pm to RollTide1987
I’m not one for understanding military history, but WWI appears to have been fought in one of the worst styles, leaving tens of thousands of men dead just by sitting in trenches. At least in the American Civil War, the men could move and take cover on the move.
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:16 pm to RollTide1987
Pretty sure this is when the vaunted French military started developing into pacifists.
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:18 pm to Northshoretiger87
quote:
I’m not one for understanding military history, but WWI appears to have been fought in one of the worst styles, leaving tens of thousands of men dead just by sitting in trenches.
Machine guns and better artillery changed the game yo. And no real air bombers yet to make trenches obsolete.
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:20 pm to Northshoretiger87
quote:
I’m not one for understanding military history, but WWI appears to have been fought in one of the worst styles, leaving tens of thousands of men dead just by sitting in trenches.
The battlefields were fairly static so bodies just lay in fields and disappeared under churned-up earth. I cant imagine a worse hell than spending days, weeks and months in those conditions. All the while having to remain below ground surface.
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:21 pm to Cosmo
And no "modern medicine" to manage the disease that spread through the trenches like wildfire.
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:25 pm to Northshoretiger87
quote:
I’m not one for understanding military history, but WWI appears to have been fought in one of the worst styles, leaving tens of thousands of men dead just by sitting in trenches.
Tactics had not caught up with the new military technology of the time.
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:28 pm to RollTide1987
Americans can’t comprehend that number, yet will call the French pussies
Something that has always irked me
3,600 is the deadliest ever day for Americans in battle. That was Antietam
Adjusted for population size, it would be like America losing roughly 200,000 soldiers in a single day…..
Something that has always irked me
3,600 is the deadliest ever day for Americans in battle. That was Antietam
Adjusted for population size, it would be like America losing roughly 200,000 soldiers in a single day…..
This post was edited on 8/22/24 at 12:31 pm
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:33 pm to Shexter
WW1 (and 2) stats like that absolutely amaze me. Cannot imagine.
For anyone even half interested in WW1 history needs to take the time and listen to Dan Carlins podcast series on the subject - really, really good.
For anyone even half interested in WW1 history needs to take the time and listen to Dan Carlins podcast series on the subject - really, really good.
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:36 pm to Northshoretiger87
quote:Even the Civil War devolved into trenches its last 1 1/2 years. By 1864, it was clear that defenders had a huge advantage.
I’m not one for understanding military history, but WWI appears to have been fought in one of the worst styles, leaving tens of thousands of men dead just by sitting in trenches. At least in the American Civil War, the men could move and take cover on the move.
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:40 pm to RollTide1987
Did the shooters not notice the French waving their white flags?
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:51 pm to Honest Tune
quote:
Did the shooters not notice the French waving their white flags?
The French army killed more Germans in the 20th century than the US did. Read some WW1 history on the French military.
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:55 pm to RollTide1987
The heads of state of Germany, England and Russia were all first cousins. And no one knows why they fought!
From a different perspective, WW1 could be called ‘The Genocide of the French’
From a different perspective, WW1 could be called ‘The Genocide of the French’
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:56 pm to RollTide1987
Gojira deserves a better home country
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:56 pm to ClientNumber9
Cool I love history. I also love joking about the French being huge pussies. The duality of life is fun, huh?
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:59 pm to Gaggle
Never understood how military leaders knowing that weapons of war had changed so dramatically didn’t adjust tactics accordingly before so many got slaughtered
Posted on 8/22/24 at 12:59 pm to Honest Tune
You’re talking about the home of Charlemagne which is considered the beginning of the West, William the Conqueror the beginning of England as we know it, Rochambeau the beginning of America, Napoleon the beginning of modern war, the industrial revolution, steel and diesel and photography and immeasurable contribution to military, artistic, literary culture. If you want to know how France went from the greatest country in the history of the world to whatever your image of modern France is, losing every single able bodied man in a world war meat grinder is probably a good start
This post was edited on 8/22/24 at 1:00 pm
Posted on 8/22/24 at 1:07 pm to Gaggle
And? The Dallas Cowboys won a frick ton of super bowls back in the day. It’s still really fun to call them a trash franchise that hasn’t won shite in decades.
Picking up what I’m putting down?
Picking up what I’m putting down?
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