Existing comment:
The War in Europe
While neutrality was debated in the United States, war raged in Europe. Millions of men had been mobilized by both sides and a single battle could leave hundreds of thousands of casualties. The ten month long Battle of Verdun in 1916 was one of the most costly campaigns in human history, with estimates ranging from 740,000 to 970,000 men killed, wounded, or captured.
Bayonet and Canteen:
French bayonet and German canteen, recovered from the battlefields surrounding Verdun, France. Donated to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum by William Walker.
German Helmet:
German Pickelhaube (point helmet), worn on the Western Front. When the war began, these helmets were often made of leather, but the inadequate protection they provided in the trenches soon led to a switch to steel, initially maintaining the pointed design. By 1916, this helmet style had been largely phased out across the front. Donated to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum by Robert A. Goshorn. |