Martyr of Verdun: Émile Driant's Command Post

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Émile Driant was a French army officer who served originally as an aide to General Boulanger (and married his daughter). This connection would tarnish his career when politics forced Boulanger to resign (and shortly afterward commit suicide). It became clear that he would never rise much in rank, and in 1905 he resigned his commission. In 1910 he was elected to the French National Assembly, where he was still serving when was erupted in 1914. Driant was focused on French military readiness his entire life, and wrote extensively about potential future wars.
In 1914, he was recalled to military service, although he retained his Assembly position. He was given command of a reserve unit of Chausseurs (infantry) in the quiet backwater Verdun sector, where he couldn't cause too much trouble to the military establishment. Through 1915 he watched Joffre remove men and guns from the forts around Verdun to reinforce more active areas of the front. He was intensely concerned that this was leaving Verdun a weak point ripe for German attack. As an officer, there was not much he could do about this except complain to his own commander - but as an active member of the National Assembly, he was able to bypass the military chain of command and take his concerns directly to the civilian government. This did nothing to endear him to Joffre, but the attention he brought did result in more defensive preparations being made in and around Verdun.
On February 21st, 1916 Driant's warnings were proven true when the Germans launched the Battle of Verdun, which would become one of the most significant operations of the war for France. Driant and his 1200 Chausseurs were stationed in the Bois de Caures forest, right in the middle of the German offensive. His men fought valiantly to hold back the attack in their sector, but were reduced to less than 200 men combat-effective by the 22nd. Driant ordered a withdrawal that morning, and was killed by a gunshot while aiding a wounded trooper.
He was buried with military honors by the Germans, but later re-interred by the French where he had fallen. Today his command post remains just a few hundred yards from his gravesite, and a memorial marks the spot. Driant quickly became recognized as one of the heroes of Verdun, for his efforts before the battle and his front-line leadership during the initial attack.
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[@neutralobserver3423]

Ian's mention of the "Red Zone" reminds me of a grim bon mot from the time of WWI. "This war will last 100 years: 5 years for fighting and 95 years for winding up the barbed wire."

[@51WCDodge]

So very very true.

[@Unb3arablePain]

It's crazy how even a century later the landscape still shoes the large scars of war. An impactful story indeed!

[@blueband8114]

I went to the area in 2017, and as your driving out towards Belgium as we were, there are shell holes for miles around.

[@hp9857]

And this is only the western Front. In the southern Front of ww1, between Austria and Italy, the lines were in alpine landscape. There are positions, which seem left a few month ago.

[@morgancole6355]

If one listens to that KZbin video where somebody recreated the sound of drum artillery fire, it's understandable that the shell holes remain as scars on the landscape. The amount of destruction unleashed on a very small area is unknowable.

[@ducomaritiem7160]

When visiting the western front line today, you see piles of artillery shells found by farmers stacked up near farm fields. Unexploded shells work their way up to the surface and still cause trouble. I found Stokes mortar shells, artillery shells, mills bombs ammo etc. I never touch that stuff. Even found a shell in a living tree, it was captured by its trunk...

[@cryalowicki]

@@morgancole6355 Link to that video?

[@Tadicuslegion78]

Ils ne passeront pas!

[@hihu7200]

@Andrea Laborde Build on that video game. Learn about WW1 from books and tours of the battle fields. WW1 has lessons for us in 2019.

[@51WCDodge]

@@hihu7200 And damm near the same political situation in Eastern Europe. That's the worrying thing.

[@jeanberthus7162]

For those of you wanting to hear some a very nice historical song I recommend you type "Verdun chant militaire" (Military song of Verdun) and listen to it. It is still sung today in the French army.

[@51WCDodge]

@@jeanberthus7162 Thanks for that, learnt something new.

[@gontrandtrand]

Dice et EA ont chié sur la mémoire de nos ancêtres, ainsi que sur les Russe... Honte à vous !

[@eliane2743]

The sign preventing to go to Driant's tomb reads there is some shooting activity taking place. Actually, there is a military shooting range in the zone and when it is being used part of the forest is off-limit.

[@eliane2743]

Also, several French cities have a street named in Driant's honour. It is right in the centre of the city in the case of Paris - meaning an already existing street was renamed rather than using some third-rate suburban alley. Such was his fame. Everytime, his name is closely associated to his men, who died with him.

[@DrFod]

I was at Douaumont earlier this year while the range was in use. It felt quite unsettling to hear gunfire whilst touring a WWI monument.

[@ronaldQdobbs]

It's amazing to see the scars of war that are over a century old. I grew up in Salisbury, NC, where there was a major prisoner camp during the Civil War. Close to the end of the war, when the Union had cut off supply chains, prisoners died faster than graves could be dug, so instead they dug trenches to dump the bodies in. Still today, 150 years later, you can still see the mounds of the trenches running across the field where they were buried. In the late 80s or early 90s, a man that lived near the camp's location was mowing his lawn when his mower sunk into the ground. After pulling it out, he realized it was the exit to a tunnel that had been dug by Union soldiers to escape the camp, and lost to time for over a century. The story of the tunnel was tragic, though. Guards were tipped off about the escape, and waited at the exit for the prisoners to come out. They were recaptured, taken to a trench, and executed.

[@johnballs1352]

Please continue doing these, they are incredibly fascinating

[@hadrienbruet-mochet8382]

Thank you Ian for bringing this piece of french history in english langage. Understanding WW1 is both part of european and american history. I'm very proud to see some foreign people are still interested in history and especially in the darkest time of the last century.

[@zacht9447]

"Darkest time of the last century"? bro WW2 was significantly darker hell vietnam was darker than WW1

[@zacht9447]

@Andrea Laborde in terms of Darkness and pointlessness I'd say yes the Vietnam War was worse it did nothing and cost millions their lives

[@KB4QAA]

@@zacht9447 No, the VN War did not cost millions of lives. No.

[@zacht9447]

@@KB4QAA low estimate if 1.5 high estimate of 3.6 million

[@KB4QAA]

@@zacht9447 I would agree to around 1.5 as a working number. Less than "2 thousand" is not 'millions". 3.6 million is ridiculous. Just because some crank publishes ludicrous numbers does not mean they should be quoted.

[@Glurgi]

I really love those historical tidbits :) There are so many stories that gives context to history that you never get to hear about.

[@tisFrancesfault]

I'd like to visit "Verdun" someday. Its seems certainly like one of the place you'd reflect about the horrors of war.

[@tommyblackwell3760]

It is indeed....seeing the landscape with craters overlapping craters and shattered trench lines, knowing that it's the result of over 1,370,000 tons of artillery shells fired over the course of the battle, is very sobering. If you ever go, be sure to visit the Douaumont Ossuary where the bones of an estimated 300,000 dead are interred, just pieces of bodies that were found after the battle. There are a further 16,000+ whose remains were discovered intact buried in front of the Ossuary, many of them unknown. I found it to be a pretty overwhelming experience.

[@chumccurry1765]

Tommy Blackwell Been there few years ago, it is what you said.

[@jonasholzem2909]

Went there as a know-nothing-don't-care teenager at the ripe age of fourteen. It really got to me even then...

[@51WCDodge]

If you do ever vist any of the Wesern Front, tread carfully, you don't know who you are walking on. And that is not a joke.

[@basedkaiser5352]

Gotta be careful though, you can still stumble upon some landmines and they’re still dangerous even after 100 years.

[@wallaroo1295]

When I lived on Roi-Namur, in 1999, you could still walk the beach and pick up detritus from WWII. It was not unusual at all to find .50 cal bullets, which had been fired, and were still intact. UXO (UeXploded Ordnance) was literally everywhere, so much so that one tiny little chain of islands, has a full time EOD squad. It is very strange to go into the bunkers, and you can still touch the bullet marks in the Japanese concrete. It is an eerie feeling - but, I never saw any "ghosts" or anything.

[@NUCCubus]

What's Japanese concrete?

[@wallaroo1295]

@@NUCCubus The concrete the Japanese used, was (reportedly) made with saltwater, in combination with aggregate made from the crushed coral and shell beaches. You can see the shell pieces in it. It is a remarkably strong, and weather/ocean resistant concrete. The boat docks there, partly in the water were made at the time, and were just as solid as the day they cured. *How* the Japanese did it, was lost to the war. The civil engineers told me they still hadn't figured it out. This was 20 years ago though - molecular analysis has come a long way. Although, somebody has to test it first. Perhaps the reason nobody know - is because no one is looking...

[@51WCDodge]

The Belgium EOD reckon they will have about another 100 year of work to clear ordnace. One disturbing little fact. Which country has the most chemical weapons? Belgium. All Great War vintage. Disposal costs millions of Euro per year.

[@wallaroo1295]

@@51WCDodge I'm hoping that was our species' "algal bloom" - the industrial/atomic era. Too many people, using too many resources, too fast - and nature kicked us off with a few diseases, and some major wars, and brought our species growth back under control... A fanciful thought, but interesting to ponder nonetheless. (I have a '46 WC - there is a video of it on my channel)

[@hihu7200]

History does have ghosts. They are just unseen and thoughtful. They have a lot to teach us.

[@sarrumac]

You should do a video on Albert Roche, a French hero of WW1 who accomplished incredible deeds. During the course of the war he captured 1180 germans. Yup.

[@hihu7200]

It soulds like him and Alvin York would have gotten along quite well.

[@mebsrea]

Hi Hu And the German NCO who captured Fort Douaumont more or less by himself.

[@jean-luchochart6960]

J'aurais bien voulu voir ceux qui jugent à la place de ces homes d'honneur. OUI!LES ANGLO-SAXONS SONT SOUVENT STUPIDES ET IGNORANTS!

[@tbuxt3992]

​@@mebsreawasn't much to capture in the first place though

[@knittedgandhi4956]

Living in the UK, in Kent, able to look across the channel to our fellows & friends in Europe, I used to regularly go across and visit the WW1 and WW2 sites. One year we drove our WW2 Jeeps, Dodges and GMCs to the Ardennes and actually put our canvasses over the still clearly visible US foxholes at the exact point where the Battle of the Bulge started... Anyway, as regards WW1... I used to live in Purley, a suburb of South London. There's a road there called the 'Promenade de Verdun' that is lined with trees and under every tree, when they were planted, was placed a spadeful of earth from the Verdun battlefield. The place in France was utter carnage for the French. Anyway... As someone that used to pop across to Northern France and Belgium quite a lot and walk the old battlefields I found a lot of stuff. Old boots, helmets with bullet holes in them, clips of ammo, mortar bases... not to mention live shells, live grenades and live ammo clips... all 80yrs old at the time. Last time I went I took my 8yr old daughter and if you just step into the fields or woods across from any of the countless little, less popular, cemeteries you'll find old ordnance. Whilst visiting the cemeteries I vividly recall how she was amazed at a grave that said "9 Unknown Soldiers". The year before that I'd taken a WW2 D-Day+3 veteran with us (whose best friend had had his head blown off right next to him at Villers Bocage and it still made him weep 50yrs later) and, whilst we were looking for ordnance and relics, he and his mates went off in a different direction. He came back with sooo much stuff!!! He told us afterwards he could still look at the land and just 'see' where offensive/defensive positions would be and where the shots would fall (I guess, writing this, just as I would say "Here's the best place to put the photocopy paper and here's the best place to store the Dry Wipe pens!!). My mates drove back through Dover port with live grenades and live 88mm shells rolling around in the boot :D (n.b. For UK Gov. reading this I only bought back rusty nodules of crap and I have no recollection of the names, nor dates, that this vivid memory refers to... Honestly!!... and I have nothing here...I have no contact with my old chums!!). The night after we'd walked the fields we all got back to the hotel and, because we all washed the mud off our finds we actually all blocked the hotel's drains!! I soooo recall the hotel manager running along the corridor shouting about the drains, and when he banged on our door and when we let him in, and he said in broken English "Monsieur le drains are blocked" (or such forth!) and then stared at the two beds and they were covered in barbed wire, shell fragments, two helmets, shrapnel balls and gawd knows what!! My best ever find was at the NewFoundland Memorial where on top of a mole hill I found a spent German Machine Gun bullet.. and further along at 'Y ravine' I found a bit several German beer bottle stoppers. Nowadays the area is all roped off and you have to stick to designated pathways through the battlefield. That day, in the field behind one of the sites where the "Pal's Battalions" lie buried my old mate found an intact, glass, anti-personnel mine that relied upon one of the two glass protuberances being broken off to detonate the explosives in the 'bulb' below!! It was incredible that at that time, the 1980s/90s, a fragile glass mine was just lying on top of a plough trough!! I became an ardent pacifist a few years later and donated all my WW1finds years ago to my daughter's local school (n.b. Her local vicar had been killed in Normandy in August 1944). Nowadays this channel provides my intelligent, scientific, fix for all things military!!

[@olivierpuyou3621]

Beautiful and long story but forgive me, totally oblivious. More than 8000 shells were fired per square meter (53 million minimum) and it is considered that 20% of them did not explode and are still in the ground patiently awaiting their victim. Every year tons and tons of shells are destroyed by demining services and more than 100 years later the work is extremely far from being finished. The number of "relic seekers" dead or amputated increases each year. In conclusion, you took reckless risks that could have cost you your life or a member of your friends. I cannot approve.

[@valentin-morozov2164]

Driant was more than a hero. This man was a politician and he prefered to be on the battlefield, taking care of his soldiers like no one else, rather than being quietly sitting in the french assemblée in Paris. He litteraly gave his life for the country. He was also very concerned about the men under his commandment, .In 1916, at the age of 60, he could still browse over trenches, through wind, cold and snow, just to see if his chasseurs/soldiers were safe and well, bringing with him chocolate and coffee. What those guys endured in those days is beyond understanding. In 4 days they have resisted to the worst atrocities; everybody was dying, bombsells exploded all around them so much that the ground vibrated and it could go on all day. After the first day the Germans couldn't believe that there were still some French alive as so many bombsells were fired over the french positions, from 4am to 4pm. Then the Germans launched the assault on the haggards French with flame throwers and a rain of steel. The French were walking into a mix a mud and human bodies, but they resisted during 4 days. Their selflessness and bravery allowed the army to reconstitute around Verdun and be able to resist against the german invader all along this year of 1916. Thus the road to Paris was safe and blocked.

[@M16xblowDRO]

I love the forgotten history segment! A history QnA or a long discussion video regarding battles/etc would be awesome. Thanks for the content Ian!

[@fuckgoogle2554]

From a time when responsibility meant something. How many MPs would enlist for war, these days?

[@axelpatrickb.pingol3228]

How many MP's actually enlist in those wars?

[@minuteman4199]

@@axelpatrickb.pingol3228 Quite a few actually, especially considering that most MPs were well past military age. One of the WW1 commanding officers of the Canadian Reserve regiment I served in was an MP, this man en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Simpson_Sharpe

[@Vonstab]

In France MPs and Senators were not exempted from military service but were called to the colours like everyone else. In addition a number volunteered for service, mostly ex-officers like Driant. Over 200 served and roughly 5% were killed in action compared to about 4.4% for the French nation as a whole.

[@clothar23]

Technically speaking he reenlisted , as he was an army officer before entering politics.

[@poika22]

A total war defending the sovereignty of your nation is pretty different from fighting for oil drilling rights for private interest.

[@blueband8114]

Verdun is a fantastic place to visit, one of many brilliant places in France, just love the place.

[@kakab66]

Driant was actually too old to go to war and in a position where you don't normally go to war. He actually had to use some of his connections to be enlisted and to be sent to the front. The army accepted to take him, but in order to protect him, they sent him to Verdun which was at the time considered as quiet.

[@Kyp031]

The respect a soldier has for a ranking enemy soldier shows the kind of men that fought.

[@clothar23]

And yet the grunts are left to rot where they fell. So many families left without real closure. But no you're right we should celebrate the respect some blueblooded aristocrat was shown.

[@bitsaurus]

@@clothar23 or shoved into mass graves. I'm with you...

[@51WCDodge]

@@clothar23 One of the reasons that all the British and Commonwealth casualties were buried where they fell, and the reason for the Commonwealth War Graves Commision.

[@clothar23]

@@peterthepeter7523 Which is my point exactly why were officers treated better than enlisted men both in life and death. Is the sacrifice of a Corporal worth so much less than that of a Colonel ? Is his life given more cheaply and thus worth less respect ? If so why should any enlisted soldier bother fighting ? Why fight when he knows he will be treated like a dog ? When other men simply because they bear shinier uniforms are given a monument for doing the same level of work.

[@fus132]

@@clothar23 "why were officers treated better than enlisted men both in life and death." Because commanding roles require more than just body muscles. They require intelligence, cunning, ingenuity, etc. In short, they require a brain. Something most people seem to lack _hint-hint._

[@kargger]

"chasseur" (litt. Hunter) is light infanterie. "Chausseur" means shoes maker :)

[@vaclav_fejt]

I figured there would be something with shoes...I love "Le grand blond avec une chaussure noire".

[@vaclav_fejt]

@starfield2 Depends on how handsome do you see Pierre Richard...a.k.a. distracted violinist Francois Perrin as the titular character in the spy comedy "The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe".

[@SNOUPS4]

Come on, Camille, it was close enough, I'm a frenchie too and I didn't really notice. ;)

[@thibaultdubaret9863]

@starfield2 Tu n'est pas suffisamment français, tu n'arrive pas a déchiffrer le nom d'une excellente comedie tel que "un grand blond avec une chaussure noir "(avec Pierre Richard et Gérard Depardieu)

[@thibaultdubaret9863]

@starfield2 Not realy, its a bit less respectfull but depending how you say it, it can be freindly or rude

[@ftdefiance1]

Thank you for helping keep this history alive.

[@austinowings4904]

It amazes me that Joffre is still as well regarded as he is in France today considering that his mistakes repeatedly nearly cost them the war, and certainly cost them hundreds of thousands of soldiers who had to paper over his poor generalship with their blood. Joffre was a mediocre general promoted above his ability, who happened to be in right place to steal the glory from the likes Gallieni and to suppress people like Lanrezac and Driant who repeatedly warned him of major German attacks which he proceeded to ignore.

[@davidlacoste]

This is sadly quite an habit in my poor France to promote a less capable general over better ones for political or networking reasons. The Battle of France in 1940 is the perfect example of how it can utterly bite us in the ass.

[@lapinmalin8626]

Joffre n'est pas bien considéré en France

[@masaharumorimoto4761]

I really enjoy these Forgotten History on location videos!!!! Thanks Ian!!!

[@cheesenoodles8316]

Thank you for this video. The name Verdun evokes the very image of carnage for me. It was the first battle of WW I that I endevered to learn about.

[@NGMonocrom]

Excellent video, Ian. Thank you for making it.

[@papadoomguy7412]

Nice 'stache like the host's. Classy.

[@DornAndGrant]

Well done Ian. Went to the Somme with my father an was left awed by how men did the job in front of them.

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

Hindsight is 20:20... how many "Driants" warning about possibly catastrophic oversights on OTHER parts of the front were there with ONE of them being venerated by having had the right idea to shout about... but a military commander cannot just listen to all the Cassandras under their command, they have to make things work with the manpower and budget they're given. And that can mean leaving vulnerable places in a line as long as the overall strength is used best in that way.

[@51WCDodge]

Another officer who served at Verdun, was Alfred Dreyfus, the French Officer held on Devil's Island following trumped up espinage charges.

[@vigunfighter]

"When war were declared" Nice little Easter egg for C@rsenal fans. :)

[@GooglyEyedJoe]

Futurama fans too.

[@KhabarovVictor]

But he botched it by saying "was declared"

[@davidlacoste]

I don't get it.

[@gfarrell80]

WW1 trenches and WW2 Eastern Front have to be the most horrifying times and places we put human beings through in all of humanity's history.

[@Spitsz01]

Good stuff Ian, finally someone to tell the background of Driant.

[@dawnofjustice4689]

You know the Problem with your channel Ian? I can't stop watching 😂 Thanks for all your work and effords. Greetings from Germany 👋

[@davidm.4670]

sigh I have that problem too ...

[@shoeshiRoll]

Interesting to hear the length the Germans went through to bury this guy, along with a death notification. Was this a common occurrence?

[@509Gman]

MisfitFourOne for higher ranking officers, yes.

[@vibeslide]

It's quite astonishing that even in this time of terror there was still humanity left within people, even enemies. Reminds me of the reports of british and german troops celebrating Christmas together, right on the battlefield.

[@f4ust85]

@@vibeslide That is largely a myth. Also, such ideals of "kindness and humanity" was present mostly in the very beginning of war, where people arrived with knightly ideals of the romantic era. Soon they would be mowed down with machinegun fire.

[@andreinarangel6227]

@@f4ust85 1916 was no the 'very beggining".

[@f4ust85]

@@andreinarangel6227 Basic burial of a high-ranking officer is also no astonishing humanity.

[@AxisPeter]

I love how the Germans gave the man a proper grave instead of just dumping his body in a shellhole and be done with it. Chivalry was sometimes displayed, by both parties, even in the 2nd world war.

[@pvtparts6879]

Firstly there was an elitism amongst the higher caste of European society whereby they have more in common with each other than with working class/peasants of their country. Secondly in European war often participants will 'respect' higher ranking enemies far more than the common soldier has the unspoken aim of making your opponent see you as more merciful. Driant's ex colleagues and friends in the French Assembly would 'respect' the Germans for their chivalrous act, making them feel like they could reason with the Germans. Meanwhile the Germans chucked the majority of non commissioned ranks into mass graves.

[@leepalmer1210]

@@pvtparts6879 Honestly the mass graves were not due to callousness or spite. But due to a simple matter of expediency. With so many deaths and dead bodies to deal with and the possibility of disease, there was little choice.

[@poika22]

This sort of history content is very much appreciated!

[@philipwebb9938]

As much as I love the weapons side of things the historical tours and videos you do Ian are fascinating, more please!

[@michaelmccarthy4615]

Ian bumped into the History guy at Verdun.

[@RichieRichOverdrive]

Source?

[@thespecialbru]

Sad you didn’t make a “kapow” noise when you said “War was declared”.

[@JohnCBobcat]

Would have been more noticeable an omission if "war were declared".

[@TheTejanoJose]

Thank you Ian! Very interesting topic, love these WW I videos. Around 35 years ago I visited the battlefield around Hartmannswillerkopf / Vieil Armand. I would love to see a video about this place.

[@gwaters8067]

1:02 have to correct you Ian. "War were declared" is the correct term 🤣

[@five5105]

What?

[@jamestarbet9608]

Because of the shear volume of uxo left, in your travels through France, have you ever experienced any ordinance explosions? I know tons are unearthed every planting season by farmers.

[@sergeyplykin4413]

Thank you for a nice reminder of your great Western Front tour this year and the only rainy day of the whole trip!

[@loquat4440]

I guess he was one of the first to die on the french side out of the hundreds of thousands that died there. In those days it appears life was cheaper and the generals were not too concerned about such losses from the human side of such considerations I did not finish the video more due to the subject than any fault of the presentation. Battle of Verdun, (February 21-December 18, 1916), World War I engagement in which the French repulsed a major German offensive. It was one of the longest, bloodiest, and most-ferocious battles of the war; French casualties amounted to about 400,000, German ones to about 350,000. Some 300,000 were killed. Google factoid

[@markdougherty9917]

It’s nice to hear about sides of this conflict treating the dead of the other with respect, during such a horrific war where so many died. Humans have always been beautiful creatures

[@jerryjohnsonii4181]

Thanks for showing this peace of history , Ian !!!!!!!!!!!!

[@chuckcochran8599]

It's amazing how much unexploded Ordinance is recovered every year by French and Belgian Disposal units.

[@sarjim4381]

Thank goodness I wasn't a a male born in France around 1895. The chance of surviving WWI made any other war look like a good risk. The general collapse of fertility rates after wwI in Europe affected France more than any of the other major powers, and it meant that the Great Depression affected them more and they went in WWII with a greater "shortfall" of men of military age. This led directly to the surrender of France in 1940 and all the aftereffects of that action. .

[@axelpatrickb.pingol3228]

Actually you should be thankful you aren't a German born between 1919 to 1925. Nonoe of those survive beyond 1945...

[@sarjim4381]

@@axelpatrickb.pingol3228 _None of those_ survived beyond 1945? None of the men born in 1910 were casualties in WWII. Sure. Right.

[@509Gman]

Sar Jim if more people understood this, there would be a lot less “never fired, dropped once” jokes.

[@clothar23]

@@509Gman I honestly think the Vichy French are more a decisive factor in the Battle of France than any perceived cowardice in the French Army as a whole. Hard to fight a war when half your army defects to the Enemy. Of course we could go on about the instability in French Military leadership. Honestly the infighting inherent in France seems more a reason for their defeats throughout history than anything else.

[@jeremypnet]

@@clothar23 Vichy France was a consequence of the loss of the Battle of France, not a cause of it,

[@bigblue6917]

I do know about Émile Driant and his sacrifice defending Verdun. A true patriot and hero of France. The folly of allowing Verdun's defences to be striped would haunt both France and Britain for the rest of the war. The German attack there almost bleed Frances army dry and would be one of the major causes of the French army mutinying in 1917. It forced British Army into fighting at The Somme, a battle it was not yet ready for with all the casualties that came with it. It also had a huge effect on the German Army, bleeding it of troops. But that was down to an ill conceived plan which was aimed at destroying the French army without actually taking Verdun.

[@kekolo56]

Thank you for these insights! Somebody still want to rant about surrendering French soldiers?

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank You , Ian .

[@olivierpuyou3621]

1300 soldiers in the morning and there are only 180 left in the evening and they have remained in their positions. The Germans did not pass but my God what an exorbitant cost.

[@kevinbooth2043]

I love both inrangetv and your historic videos I hope they are as well appreciated by others, all I know is when I'm waiting for my ncis check all I have to say to lighten the mood is "ya'll seen the new forgotten weapons" "oh you love them huh?"

[@damnoldguy]

As another youtuber says.....history that deserves to be remembered

[@TheTaurus502]

Excellence in Eloquence, as per the norm of Forgotten Weapons Productions yet again.

[@jackthebassman1]

I’ve been visiting the Great War battlefields for many years now, I think everyone should go and experience what war does.

[@AMX-30B]

Please more of these Ian they are great 👍

[@xgford94]

Some times it sucks to be right

[@skylerslack12]

And to think at one point there was no trees, grass, just mud and holes.

[@markmccormack9413]

Well done Ian McCollum, another great and informative video.

[@garymoore8711]

It would be nice to know that the generals that exiled him to verdun paid some price for their contempt of him. But my own experience with war says that did not happen. They either got promoted or exonerated.

[@logya]

Hi and welcome to france , bienvenue en france , hope you had some good times visiting us . ; )

[@Gunluver1]

gj ian. Love these vids

[@adrien9075]

For anyone intersted and speaking a bit of French, check the collection called Les grandes batailles by Jean- Louis Guillaud, Henri de Turenne and Daniel Costelle. they re old (60s or 70s) with a lot of survivors from generals, soldiers to civilians and some nice anecdotes. Same for ww2 and aviation history. I recommend them to everyone and you can trust me on the quality of these documentaries. Have a nice day everyone. Petit Papa voici la mi-Carême...

[@connorb2112]

Please do more of these videos about wartime individuals.

[@monnezzapromizoulin5169]

He was also a popular writter specialized in military fictions under the pen name of Commandant Danrit : "L'invasion jaune", "L'invasion noire", "L'aviateur du pacifique", etc ...

[@victorcosta1777]

Flashlight is a forgotten waepon against dark areas

[@juliuspodicus7139]

Ian history lessons are good. Should do more.

[@BurtSampson]

Hey Ian, have you read "Old Soldiers Never Die" by Frank Richards? It's a pretty incredible book by a Welshman who fought in WW1 as a infantryman and later a signaler from the outbreak all the way to the armistice. The whole time I was reading it I was like "man, I bet Ian would love this book."

[@51WCDodge]

Try reading Lord of the Rings, and remember that Tolkien was an infantary officer on the Western Front, only for about 6 weeks though before be sent home with trench fever. The books take on a whole new aspect.

[@shatterquartz]

Aside from being a military officer and a parliamentarian, Driant had a side gig as a writer of political thrillers. Most of them deal with future wars (as imagined in the early 20th century), and he correctly prophesied that Japan would launch a surprise aeronaval attack on Pearl Harbor decades before it happened. Regrettably, he was also extremely racist, antisemitic and anti-British, so in his books the villains are almost always a combination of nonwhites, Jews and Anglo-Saxons. In my own alternate history book With Iron and Fire, I have him survive the battle of Verdun and live old enough to shed some of his prejudices. www.amazon.com/Iron-Fire-David-Wostyn/dp/1986432955/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524162400&sr=1-6&keywords=with+iron+and+fire

[@murphyslaw_1776]

They shall not pass.

[@armisteadab]

ISSUE: FW vids are cutting off after a few seconds in Kodi (Krypton) player. ONLY FW vids, nobody else's. Encoding problem? Been happening for a few weeks now, I've been hoping an update would solve it.

[@alexv6324]

Excuse me, but it's, "War were declared."

[@davidwallace5738]

Great history lesson. Thank you sir.

[@VegasCyclingFreak]

WW I was supposed to be the war that ended all wars. Hard to imagine what a hell it must have been between a continuous hail of bullets, poison gas and all of the shelling. Not to mention all of the human suffering.... trench foot, having your face blown off and doctors trying to reconstruct it, losing limbs, etc.

[@VegasCyclingFreak]

@GYPSY KING FURY History repeats itself over and over again...

[@51WCDodge]

I live near the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at Sidcup, Kent England. The hospital became a world centre of excellence for plastic and reconstructive surgery during and after the Great War. The archive pictures are on line, just not after a big meal.

[@VegasCyclingFreak]

51WCDodge - I’ve seen some of those pictures, they are some of the most horrible wounds imaginable. I understand that some of what trauma surgeons are able to do today come out of what was learned in WWI.

[@51WCDodge]

@@VegasCyclingFreak I knew a very acomplished Jewish Surgeon. He shook me one day by saying 'The biggest crime of the Nazi medical experiments were that they were so badly done'. No proper records and poor techniques' As you can imagine I was dumbstruck! Then he added 'Those people suffered for nothing! Nothing we can use came out of thier deaths it was all pointless, they lost thier lives and left no legacy.' The only ones done right were Luftwaffe Hypothermia experiments, if you are treated for it, or learn techniques to avoid it, or have any cryogenic sugery, give thanks to those unkown victims.

[@VegasCyclingFreak]

@@51WCDodge -- Wow. But I guess I can see his point, that we could have at least learned something from it, like their life and death wouldn't been lived completely in vain. The Japanese did some unbelievable stuff too, like vivasection on living people, etc.

[@bikecommuter24]

I don't think any words are needed.

[@Tobascodagama]

You know it's bad when civilian politicians are taking the concerns of the troops more seriously than the actual military chain of command.

[@basedkaiser5352]

He could’ve been a great general. It’s frustrating to know how he was disregarded by the higher-ups.

[@TheEutrophic]

Excellent vid.

[@MisterOcclusion]

1:02 I was expecting to hear "war were declared" for some reason..

[@squib308]

OT: KZbin video compression gives me headaches when panning across scenes that have grass or otherwise lots of detail. Ugh

[@BaronSamedi1959]

What weapon would have been carried by Col Driant? And by his Chasseurs?

[@jolomies]

The movie edge of tomorrow has "Angel of Verdun" wonder if that was intentional.

[@tednelson9707]

86% causalities. Holy fuck.

[@ebenizerb.schlestertrappdu6943]

Excellent!

[@app4902]

It’s awesome that there is no graffiti

[@dublin4570]

I made it into a video!!! @5:22 #BecauseFrance

[@speed_freak13]

This is the earliest I've been to a video. Nice history lesson.

[@LadyAnuB]

Another Poilu with a fine mustache!

[@51WCDodge]

Well, Poilu is 'The Hairy One' :-)

[@shawnr771]

You spoke about the contamination from ordnance and various poison gasses. Many years ago there were stories that at certain times of year, and under certain weather conditions, in certain areas some of the poison gasses could recombine? and still be dangerous. Is this true and does it still happen?

[@LadyAnuB]

I do think this could be an interesting question to put to the Periodic Videos gang.

[@51WCDodge]

When doing any sort of digging in the area of the Western Front -1 Put up wind markers, 2 If when digging, or shortly afterwards, you get any , irritation of the eyes , shortness of breath , tingiling of the skin or a funny smell, get the hell up wind and ring for help. No joke, yes the stuff is still there and still lethal.

[@shawnr771]

@@51WCDodge I would be irritated the moment I had to dig. Thanks for the response.

[@51WCDodge]

@@shawnr771 Not when you think what's down there. Belive me you'd fight for the chance. It is treasure hunt, that exciets, and sobers. you at the same time.

[@shawnr771]

@@51WCDodge Nah I dont own a license for a shovel. They dont fit my hand.

[@TheNovaist]

love you brotherrrr

[@PaulMauser]

At least a beautiful forest came out of it.

[@Autobotmatt428]

They would name a fort after him in ww2.

[@Mr_Blonde-ru9kd]

Wonderful informative video!

[@tiortedrootsky]

He recognised what would happen, but Omega got him first)

[@user-xq5og9lt8p]

Viva Le France is strong with this one

[@TheHylianBatman]

How sobering war is. The world is still scarred. We should never forget.

[@donaldmeaker3627]

Fort Driant is named after him, and was occupied by Germany during WW2. It is still in business today.

[@brianwolle2509]

if there had been more troops there, they would have been casualties

[@mattbrocklehurst7980]

1300 men to less then 200 in one day. even if most of them were only injured that's some crazy loses

[@thomasa5619]

You can’t say “war were declared” and not do the c&rsenal thing