Word: verdun
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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...Liegnitz, Silesia, whose honorary chiefs were the Kaiser and the Tsar. Schoolmates recall him as a witty wisecracker, gay, with a talent for dramatics. But he stuck to soldiering faithfully, gained his lieutenancy in time for World War I. By bravery at Longwy and the Meuse, by luck at Verdun, he rose and survived to become a staff officer under Count Rüdiger von der Goltz, who in 1918 was sent to help Baron Mannerheim win Finland's independence...
...blood-soaked snow and frozen muck of the plain south of Viipuri, Finland's Verdun, a sleepless, exhausted and incredibly brave Finnish army had for twelve days withstood a mighty offensive by the best & biggest army that Russia could put into the field. Not since Marshal Haig sent tens of thousands of Britons to their slaughter at the Somme in 1916 had a high command been so prodigal of its men. Stung by its failure, in two months of bitter warfare, to subdue the stubborn Finns, apprehensive that outside help might make the Finns unconquerable by spring, Soviet Russia...
...overlooked in such calculations is another comparison. In 1916 Germany, fighting at Verdun and the Somme, burned up every day more materials than in the entire Franco-Prussian war. So far in this war Germany has fought only an in expensive Polish campaign, some minor air and sea battles. Germany's income may be as small as in 1916, but so far her expenses are far smaller...
Duroure plays suave army politics, gets himself talked about as a coming saviour in the wire-pulling Paris salon of Mme Godorp, Gurau's mistress, whose friends are out to stab Joffre in the back over a rumored neglect to fortify Verdun...
Along the front there is something in the air. Jerphanion is moved back to a reserve position, blessedly peaceful. During February the Army hears slightly intensified artillery fire from the Verdun sector, hears news that French guns are being sent...