ia on the south, are blood-stained chapters in the
annals of war.

EVENTS OF 1916.

Apparently believing that Russia was so badly crippled that she could
not again peril Austria-Hungary or wrest Poland from the grasp of
Germany, the latter country gathered her available resources for a
decisive, crushing blow in France. We have several times mentioned
Verdun. It is well to study its location on the map, about 130 miles
slightly north of east of Paris. It is a city of great historic
interest, beautifully located in the Meuse valley with its approach
defended by low-lying ranges of hills through which lead numerous
defiles. At this city, more than a thousand years ago, was concluded the
celebrated treaty of Verdun that settled the disputes between the
grandsons of Charlemagne, and this constitutes a landmark in the early
history of France.

It was Verdun that held back the southern end of the flail wherewith
France was to be crushed in 1914; in the battle of the Marne it held the
eastern or left wing of the long German line, which could not advance
and leave Verdun unsubdued in the rear. The German Crown Prince was in
command near Verdun. His ideal was Napoleon. His private library
contained nearly everything ever written about that great general. He
was exceedingly anxious to pose as the conqueror of France. To
strengthen his dynasty, the Kaiser was also anxious that his son should
take a prominent part. Accordingly it was planned to gather an enormous
army under his command, overwhelm Verdun and smash through to Paris.
Thus Prince Wilhelm would be enrolled among the great commanders of
history. Von Hindenburg was opposed to this plan, he wanted to finish up
his work so happily begun in Russia. But the Crown Prince had his way;
and immense supplies of guns, ammunition, and men were withdrawn from
the eastern front and massed at Verdun.

THE GREAT BATTLE OF VERDUN.

The annals of history record no battle approaching in duration,
artillery fire, and awful sacrifice than the battle that enveloped
Verdun for six months, beginning February 21, 1916. Other battles have
been fought along more extended fronts and thus engaged larger numbers
of troops; but none ever presented in a more acute form the issue of
national life or death. The stand of the heroic Greeks at Thermopylae
denying passage to the hosts of Persia was not more vital to the cause
of civilization than this storied defense of Verdun. The reflective
writ