WW1

[EYE SPY]

Can anyone verify this from the military.com fact of the day section


Today's Factoid: During World War I, Fort Douaumont at Verdun in France was captured in 1916 by a single German soldier after French General Chretien forgot to pass on orders to defend the outside fort to the last man to his successor. On 25 February 1916 the spectacular event happened: A German sergeant was smashed into the moat of Fort Douaumont due to a nearby explosion. The sergeant, a member of the 24th Brandenburger division, decided to have a better look at the fort. He was surprised when he discovered that there were only a couple of French soldiers to defend Douaumont. The sergeant walked in and took the French defenders as prisoners of war. The rumour that Douaumont was taken by the Germans was an enormous shock for the French soldiers, reinforcements and staff in the city of Verdun. From now on the Germans could aim their guns directly at the city.

[Seraphim]

Your right, I read it and thought it said it at the bottom, I re-read it and your right.

[EYE SPY]

thanks for the links. but i was just looking to know if anyone heard about this. i didnt see it mentioned anywhere in those links that a single german seargent captured a fort

[Sixgun Symphony]

http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/grafix/smonkeys.jpg

[Sixgun Symphony]

French Military History in a Nutshell

L'axe des faux jetons:
"les primates capitulards qui mangent du fromage!"
or
"les singes capitulards bouffeurs de fromage!"
or
"les macaques capitulards bouffeurs de fromage!"

"Cheese eating surrender monkeys"


Gallic Wars: Lost. In a war whose ending foreshadows the next 2000 years of French history, France is conquered by of all things, an Italian.

Hundred Years War: Mostly lost, saved at last by a female schizophrenic who inadvertently creates The First Rule of French Warfare - "France's armies are victorious only when not led by a Frenchmen."

Italian Wars: Lost. France becomes the first and only country ever to lose two wars when fighting Italians.

Wars of Religion: France goes 0-5-4 against the Huguenots.

Thirty Years' War: France is technically not a participant, but manages to get invaded anyway. Claims a tie on the basis that eventually the other participants started ignoring her.

War of Devolution: Tied. Frenchmen take to wearing red flowerpots as chapeaux.

Dutch War: Tied.

War of the Augsburg League/King William's War/French and Indian War: Lost, but claimed as a tie. Deluded Frogophiles the world over label the period as the height of French Military Power.

War of the Spanish Succession: Lost. The War also gave the French their first taste of a Marlborough, which they have loved ever since.

American Revolution: In a move that will become quite familiar to future Americans, France claims a win even though the English colonists saw far more action. This is later known as "de Gaulle Syndrome", and leads to the Second Rule of French Warfare: "France only wins when America does most of the fighting".

French Revolution: Won, primarily due to the fact that the opponent was also French.

Napoleonic Wars: Lost. Temporary victories (remember the First Rule!) due to leadership of a Corsican, who ended up being no match for a British footwear designer.

Franco-Prussian War: Lost. Germany first plays the role of drunk Frat boy to France's ugly girl home alone on a Saturday night.

WWI: Tied and on the way to losing, France is saved by the United States. Thousands of French women find out what it's like not only to sleep with a winner, but one who doesn't call her "Fraulein." Sadly, widespread use of condoms by American forces forestalls any improvement in the French bloodline.

WWII: Lost. Conquered French liberated by the United States and Britain just as they finish learning the Horst Wessel Song.

War in Indochina: Lost. French forces plead sickness, take to bed with Dien Bien Flu.

Algerian Rebellion: Lost. Loss marks the first defeat of a Western army by a Non-Turkic Muslim force since the Crusades, and produces the First Rule of Muslim Warfare -"We can always beat the French." This rule is identical to the First Rules of the Italians, Russians, Germans, English, Dutch, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Eskimos.

War on Terrorism: France, keeping in mind its recent history, surrenders to Germans and Muslims just to be safe.

[MolliG]

:roll:

[tooms]

Fort Douaumont was guard by 57 soldiers, attacked and took by divisions of germans, not by a single soldier

shut the **** up Sixgun

[Ngati Tumatauenga]

Wait for it.............

[Ngati Tumatauenga]

Too late!.

[Operation Ivy]

:cantbeli: :cantbeli:

[TALOS]

Now I am not the biggest defender of the french in general and I do get a chuckle outa the magazine covers, but for the sake of truth or at least what has been reported as truth I felt it fair to post this article. If you read you will see the germans had a struggle and a half at the Douaumont
http://www.firstworldwar.com/diaries/verdun_douaumont.htm

[tooms]

:cantbeli: :cantbeli:

sorry but a topic like that deserves to be in " stupid jokes" section

[littlefrench]

French Military History in a Nutshell

L'axe des faux jetons:
"les primates capitulards qui mangent du fromage!"
or
"les singes capitulards bouffeurs de fromage!"
or
"les macaques capitulards bouffeurs de fromage!"

"Cheese eating surrender monkeys"


Gallic Wars: Lost. In a war whose ending foreshadows the next 2000 years of French history, France is conquered by of all things, an Italian.

Hundred Years War: Mostly lost, saved at last by a female schizophrenic who inadvertently creates The First Rule of French Warfare - "France's armies are victorious only when not led by a Frenchmen."

Italian Wars: Lost. France becomes the first and only country ever to lose two wars when fighting Italians.

Wars of Religion: France goes 0-5-4 against the Huguenots.

Thirty Years' War: France is technically not a participant, but manages to get invaded anyway. Claims a tie on the basis that eventually the other participants started ignoring her.

War of Devolution: Tied. Frenchmen take to wearing red flowerpots as chapeaux.

Dutch War: Tied.

War of the Augsburg League/King William's War/French and Indian War: Lost, but claimed as a tie. Deluded Frogophiles the world over label the period as the height of French Military Power.

War of the Spanish Succession: Lost. The War also gave the French their first taste of a Marlborough, which they have loved ever since.

American Revolution: In a move that will become quite familiar to future Americans, France claims a win even though the English colonists saw far more action. This is later known as "de Gaulle Syndrome", and leads to the Second Rule of French Warfare: "France only wins when America does most of the fighting".

French Revolution: Won, primarily due to the fact that the opponent was also French.

Napoleonic Wars: Lost. Temporary victories (remember the First Rule!) due to leadership of a Corsican, who ended up being no match for a British footwear designer.

Franco-Prussian War: Lost. Germany first plays the role of drunk Frat boy to France's ugly girl home alone on a Saturday night.

WWI: Tied and on the way to losing, France is saved by the United States. Thousands of French women find out what it's like not only to sleep with a winner, but one who doesn't call her "Fraulein." Sadly, widespread use of condoms by American forces forestalls any improvement in the French bloodline.

WWII: Lost. Conquered French liberated by the United States and Britain just as they finish learning the Horst Wessel Song.

War in Indochina: Lost. French forces plead sickness, take to bed with Dien Bien Flu.

Algerian Rebellion: Lost. Loss marks the first defeat of a Western army by a Non-Turkic Muslim force since the Crusades, and produces the First Rule of Muslim Warfare -"We can always beat the French." This rule is identical to the First Rules of the Italians, Russians, Germans, English, Dutch, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Eskimos.

War on Terrorism: France, keeping in mind its recent history, surrenders to Germans and Muslims just to be safe.

Your vision of history is stupid, compltetly sutpid, you are an idiot : have you ask an historian ? You see the history as you want to see it.

a few exemple
-We won the hundred years war : the british didn't occupe our territory, or just temporary, as did napoleon for all the Europ.
-For the guerre d'Indochine : We had 50000 soldiers to defend all the Indochine, they had olds guns and olds armements (aircrafts, tanks...)
You, the American, you had 250000 soldiers whit all the last technologies to defend just the Vietnam : you've lost, like us
-We have left Algeria for politican reasons, in Algeria the military situation was good.
-For your war, do you think that a few peasants would won against the best army of the world without help ? You insult the British.
-If we are so bad, why have we always been one of the strongest countries of the world ? How have we done to have the 2nd colonial empire ?
................
It's easy to say that for an American. You've done a few wars, you are a very young country and you never have been attacked (an attack who can be succesfull, not Pearl Harbor or the 11th september) on your territory.

For fort Douamont, we had decided to don't defend it, when the german attack Verdun, we had decided to defend it : 1 million of soldier dead and the germans didn't take Verdun

[SR15]

lol. thats funny but truth.

btw. WW2 was lost in 15 min. :bash:

[Olybrius]

the truth:

http://www.webmatters.net/france/ww1_verdun5.htm
http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/ossuary.htm

and the most terrible and bloody battle in the history of mankind..

http://www.war1418.com/battleverdun/

[littlefrench]

the truth:

http://www.webmatters.net/france/ww1_verdun5.htm
http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/ossuary.htm

and the most terrible and bloody battle in the history of mankind..

http://www.war1418.com/battleverdun/
That's right. You never have known this genre of battle. Our soldiers have been heroics, they have dead and they never have retreated. They were under the bombs, under the gaz, in holes, in the mud, whit the mouses and the lice and they fought until the death. Verdun's soliders are our heroes

[Operation Ivy]

:cantbeli: :cantbeli:

sorry but a topic like that deserves to be in " stupid jokes" section

I was :cantbeli: at what Sixgun posted

[Sixgun Symphony]

rofl rofl rofl woot

[Yard Ape]

WWI: Tied and on the way to losing, France is saved by the United States. Thousands of French women find out what it's like not only to sleep with a winner, but one who doesn't call her "Fraulein." Sadly, widespread use of condoms by American forces forestalls any improvement in the French bloodline. It would probably hurt you to acknowledge that the US arrived too late & the war ended to early for the US Army to have made any significant contribution. That war could have passed thousands more through the meat grinder over the next few years had the German Gov not lost confidence.

[n.ignomo]

May i add that during revolution there has not been even 1 fight ? May i also add that we won the military during algeria...we jsut left for political reasons (ass US in Vietnam a mI wrong ? what, you left because of military defeats ?)

[TALOS]

May i add that during revolution there has not been even 1 fight ? May i also add that we won the military during algeria...we jsut left for political reasons (ass US in Vietnam a mI wrong ? what, you left because of military defeats ?)

Actually I agree with you, politics has lost many a war whereas the troops lost few of the actual battles, both for the french and the US.
Contrary to popular opinion Vietnam was a winnable war and its hearts and minds campaigns were successful, also during the TET offensive the ARVN troops that so many people love to deride stood their ground and fought well against the combined insurgents and the cong. There was NO popular uprising in the South that the North so completely thought would develop and that was necessary to the "military" success of the offensive, rather the south resisted. However, we all know the damage done politically and without political resolve there can be no military resolve.

[James]

I visited Verdun in 1996. I rented a bicycle and went cruising around the countryside NE of the town. I visited Douamont and took a tour, as well as the Trench of the Bayonets (Trenchee de bayonets? Help me, my French friends), where numerous poilus were buried alive by an artillery barrage.

It was creepy. There are (were) a lot of forests in the area, but I recall that there were no birds. This was in June, btw. The only thing that I could think of was that the birds left in 1916 and never returned.

[Pégase]

I was :cantbeli: at what Sixgun posted

Douaumont :

http://www.france-random.com/escapades/douaumont/photos/20001617_gd.jpg

http://www.france-random.com/escapades/douaumont/photos/20001618_gd.jpg

http://www.france-random.com/escapades/douaumont/photos/20001614_gd.jpg

[Mirage]

[quote="Pégase"]

Douaumont :

http://www.france-random.com/escapades/douaumont/photos/20001617_gd.jpg
/quote]

C'est une église ou un mausolée ? L'architecture est vraiment étrange...

[littlefrench]

I visited Verdun in 1996. I rented a bicycle and went cruising around the countryside NE of the town. I visited Douamont and took a tour, as well as the Trench of the Bayonets (Trenchee de bayonets? Help me, my French friends), where numerous poilus were buried alive by an artillery barrage.

Certainly the Tranchée des baïonettes.

[PsihoKeke]

Lets not forget Fort Vaux where defenders drank their urine after they ran out of water.

[Mirage]

I visited Douamont and took a tour, as well as the Trench of the Bayonets (Trenchee de bayonets? Help me, my French friends), where numerous poilus were buried alive by an artillery barrage.


l'orthographe correcte en français c'est : tranchée des baïonnettes :) ;)

oups tu m'as devancé little french ...

[James]

Some personal pictures...

Outside of Douamont in 1996 -

http://www.imageshack.us/files2/Douamont1.JPG

And inside...

http://www.imageshack.us/files2/Douamont3.JPG

[Seraphim]

But you see, the battle was imense and many lives were lost. But no one has still found a source that says how Fort Douaumont was captured.

[James]

Alistair Horne, "The Price of Glory"...

3 German soldiers made entry and were promptly separated from each other. They had a few adventures, but the fort wasn't really captured until the arrival of a German infantry company.


The arrival of Haupt and his capture of Chenot form the point at which Fort Douaumont passed from French to German hands. The whole day's fighting had cost the Brandenburg Regiment only thirty-two dead; not a shot had been fired in defence of the world's greatest bastion, the loss of which, in the estimation of one French divisional commander at Verdun, was to cost France a hundred thousand men.

[OnTheRocks]

The Chrimean war (spelling?) was won by the French and the British against the Russians in 1854 I think it was.

[Pégase]

Fort Douaumont :
first type built in 1885 with the system concieved by Séré De Rivières in the strengthened sector of Verdun, reinforced in 1887 and 1890, recast from 1901 to 1903, 1907 to 1909, and 1911 to 1913
downgraded August 1915, partly disarmed and emptied its garrison, there remain only 57 territorial inside.
the Germans occupy the fort and use it as bases logistic and of rest.
to 3 000 men will live there in promiscuity.
dramatic moments will proceed there, in particular the explosion of 8 May 1916 causing the loss of hundreds of men. The fort remained their tomb.
The attempts at recovery in May and October will involve considerable losses within the two armies

during engagements the Fort received more than 120 000 shells including 60 shell of calibre 380 and 420




the Ossuary of Douaumont :
Sector devastated, on a ground become a vast mausoleum which carries still today the marks of the engagements, was set up, of 1920 to 1932, the Ossuary of Douaumont, on the initiative of Mgr Ginisty, bishop of Verdun.
It is surmounted by a tower, in the form of shell, high 46 meters. At the interior of the cloister, 18 cells were arranged, containing each one two granite tombs. Each tomb represents a given sector of the Battle field and overhangs the caveaux ones containing the bones of 130 000 not identified soldiers.

In front of this sanctuary, the military cemetery of Douaumont which includes/understands 15 000 tombs of identified soldiers.

[Ian H]

Douaumont :

http://www.france-random.com/escapades/douaumont/photos/20001617_gd.jpg
/quote]

C'est une église ou un mausolée ? L'architecture est vraiment étrange...

C'est l'Ossuary.

[Pégase]

http://w1.586.telia.com/~u58609152/douafront2.JPG
http://w1.586.telia.com/~u58609152/douahead11.JPG
http://w1.586.telia.com/~u58609152/douacanontower1.JPG
http://www.quid.fr/qm/photos/fr_215_bd.jpg
http://members.aol.com/cfmulti/fort2/plan2.jpg



I have some stories of it, it's translated with systran :

the taken of Fort Douaumont :

The fort of Douaumont was built in the 1880's according to principles' of Séré the River. Its normal garrison is of 500 men. Pursuant to the decree of August 5, 1915, a part of the guns of 75mm of the fort were withdrawn, like its artillery.
February 21, 1915, German attack Verdun. The 24, they arrive at the accesses of the fort of Douaumont, defended by a garrison of 57 men, with at their head the guard of Chenot battery, which is not informed of the position of the German lines. There is not any connection between the fort and the troops which surround it. February 25, towards 16h30, Chenot directs the shootings of the battery of 155mm on remote objectives. One of its troops announces to him that Germans are in the court and ask it.
The guard of fort goes to a Brandenburger unit. The German lieutenant von Held up, from the 5th division of Brandebourg, receives for this feat of arms the Croix pour le Mérite.

The Germans immediately organize the defense of the fort of Douaumont. In the evening of February 25, they are 19 officers and 79 warrant officers and troops of five different companies to occupy Douaumont. The fort becomes the pivot of German defense on right bank of the Meuse.
February 26, the French try to take again the work. They bombard the fort, without causing damage. The 2nd battalion of the mixed regiment attacks. It arrives to the barbed wires of the fort, but cannot invest it.
March 30, before the French could organize a new attack, the Germans launch an attack in order to release the accesses of Douaumont, but without success, because the artillery did not destroy the French positions.
May 2, Nivelle orders with division Mangin (3rd army corps) to prepare to take again the fort of Douaumont. Colonel Estienne is assistant of the Mangin General to ensure the preparation of artillery, which includes/understands guns large gauge.
From the 7 to May 12, French and Germans fight in front of the fort of Douaumont, in particular for the possession of the village of Thiaumont and the ravines around the fort. In the day of the 8, the fort undergoes a very strong jolt, probably caused by the accidental explosion of a deposit of grenades. It seems that it caused the death of 697 German soldiers.
Bubble indicates the 5th division of infantry, under the orders of Mangin, for the attack. The one second division will be held in reserve.
The preparation of artillery begins on May 17. It lasts five days. 300 heavy parts, including four mortars of 370mm, 12 mortars of 280mm, 12 mortars of 270mm and eight mortars of 220mm ram the fort and its surroundings. Each day, a thousand of tons of shell fall on the sector. The power of the shells does not make it possible to penetrate the armour of the fort, but the life inside the work becomes infernal. The fort fissures. The French artillery uses shells with gases, mixed with the explosive shootings, in order to return the preparation of lethal artillery as from May 20.
The French also try to bring their line to 350 meters of the work, in order to be able to go there of only one jump. May 20, at the end of the day, the ground opposite Douaumont is nothing any more but one field of shell. The 21, the communications between the German units becomes increasingly difficult.
Mangin launches a series of attacks limited in order to conquer the zones of side. They fail. The order of attack is nevertheless given. The morning of May 22, the preparation of artillery is more intense. It makes it possible to plug one of the concreted observatories of the fort.

May 22, 1916, with 11h50, the French infantry attacks the fort. The first German lines fall rather easily. To 12h00, the battalion of right-hand side of 129ème IH arrives on the superstructures of the fort. 74ème IH is stopped with a few meters of the fort. The French occupy a part of the superstructures northern and western. On the fort, the engagements make rage. The Germans counteract by the casemates. The French manage to occupy one of the higher turrets, where they install a machine-gun which sweeps the roof of the fort. But the attempts to enter run up against German troops which defend the corridors.
With fallen the night, only a battalion of 129ème IH is due on the superstructures of the fort. It is completely insulated. The German artillery rams in the south of the fort to prohibit the intervention of the reinforcements. The French artillery, directed by aviation, rams the German positions.
May 23, the fog rises towards 05h30. The engagements begin again. With 09h00, the Germans ram the French positions as well as the first line, which prevents a French attack in direction of the fort. The Germans try during all the day to take again the superstructures. But they are obstructed by the machine-gun that the French placed in one of the cupolas of the fort.
May 24, the Germans take again ramming, and launch an attack of infantry. The shooting of a minenwerfer of 240mm destroys the French machine-gun. The battalion of 129ème IH is swept. The Germans continue their progression and take a part of the wood of Nawé.
The 5th DI, too tested, is replaced by 36ème DI of the Lestequois General in the evening of May 24. The 5th division of Brandebourg is also raised and replaced by the 2nd Bavarian division. The losses of the 5th Brandenburger division are of 4 700 men. The French losses are about 5 000 men. The fort of Douaumont remains in possession of the Germans"




the retaking of Fort Douaumont :

September 21, Nivelle approves a plan of attack of broad scale to take again the ground lost in direction of the fort of Douaumont. The attack includes/understands three divisions of first line, four of second line and two divisions of reserve, is a total of nine divisions. The artillery support will be important, with in particular the use of travelling stoppings with a progression of 100 meters every four minutes.
October 20, the preparation of artillery starts. The 22, the French artillery simulate an attack by lengthening its fire, while the infantrymen make noise in the trenches. The Germans then uncover their defensive batteries, which against-are beaten by French artillery. French aviation dominates the sky of Verdun and makes it possible French artillery to enter in action with more precision.
October 23, towards 08h00, the preparation of artillery intensifies. Douaumont is surrounded of fume. The French artillery starts to draw from the shells of 400mm on the fort. With 11h30, a shell bores the armour of the work, killing hundreds of men. Shells of 400mm fall regularly all the 10 to 15 minutes. The sixteenth shell reaches a deposit of pioneers. A fire bursts and communicates to a stock ammunition and grenades. The lower stages of the fort become uninhabitable.
The German command must order the evacuation, except for a small detachment charged to extinguish the fire. The evacuation of the fort is finished on October 23 towards 17h00. Towards 18h00, the shooting of large gauges begins again. The German pioneers, obstructed by the toxic shells, employ all the water reserves, even the water of Soda reserved to the casualties. The fire persists. The fort is completely evacuated towards 04h00 on October 24.
Towards 07h00, a small German detachment, ordered by the Prolius captain, inspects the fort and notes that the work can still be defended. With a score of men, it tries to ensure the defense of the work. Towards 11h00, it receives a message of the first lines announcing a French attack. It sends in its turn a message towards the back announcing that it defends the fort while waiting for the arrival of reinforcements.
Towards 11h40, in spite of the fog which covers the area, French divisions of attack go up to the attack. The German artillery is masked and does not begin its shootings of stopping that 12 minutes after the beginning of the French attack. The ground is softened, which does not help the progression of the French troops. But the German infantrymen are also taken in the mud of their trench. Towards 14h00, ordering it Nicolaï of the colonial infantry arrives in the ditch of the fort. The weather is captive the troop of the Prolius captain. Germans and French then put themselves to extinguish the fire which always reigns in the fort. 33ème ID must be folded up and loses Fumin wood but manages to stop the French on the coast of Hardaumont.
Towards 20h00, all the French objectives are taken. The Germans lose 6 000 prisoners, 15 guns, 51 minenwerfer and 144 machine-guns.
The resumption of the fort of Douaumont increases the prestige of Nivelle. The French soldiers, under a continuous bombardment which will last of the months, undertake to dig galleries, to clean, kill the rats, to hide deaths, to build tracks drink some to circulate without being inserted in mud, in short to organize itself to hold.


the retaking of the fort has been achieved by the RICM (lead by lieutenant* colonel Régnier ), with two companies of the 43th senegalise battalion, two companies of the somali battalion, and one company of indochines sharpshooter battalion the 24th October

[n.ignomo]

http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/douaumont.aerial01.JPG
http://www.war1418.com/battleverdun/battleverdun66/foto-douaumont02.jpg
http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/wwi/memoir/AFShist/images/039.jpg