Author Description

Verdun and the Somme were two of the most cataclysmic battles of World War I on the Western Front. Many people think of the battle solely in terms of the first disastrous day, but in fact it lasted for four and a half months and would witness the arrival of the tank on the battlefield. Likewise Verdun lasted 10 months and the steadfastness of the French soldiers remains legendary to this day. Relive and appreciate this shocking period in history by examining rare items of memorabilia such as maps, diary extracts, letters, sketches, secret memos and reports which had been filed away in museums and other collections around the world. Julian Thompson explains the battle in and engaging and informative way, with over 200 photographs from the Imperial War Museum, French and German museums."