War was inevitable in 1918 as soldiers experienced constant attacks from their enemies during the World War. As presented in this soldiers’ mail, it is evident that the La Reine Sector was also affected by the rise in a war that was affecting many parts of the world. This place was being threatened along with Toul and Verdum which were part of the Allied front. There were ridges in the terrain of this sector from Flirey to Apremont which was east to west of the Allied front. It is evident that Germans had a tactical advantage since they were better placed in areas where they could have good observation and carry out attacks as well as penetrate the Allied front through several ravines. Throughout this mail, there is the identification of German’s advantage in the war along with the casualties of the war after Germany carried out an attack that weakened the Allied front.
The mail indicates that “during May, the sector was enlarged on the right side to include Jury Wood and Hazelle Wood near Flirey” (Shay, 2008). The author of this mail uses this wording to indicate that expansion of the Allied front. Besides, there was a need for expanding since it would count when the German’s attacked. The mail provides insight into the cruelty of the war by stating that “On May 10, at 0115 hours in a heavy fog, the Germans detonated 1,141 gas projector bombs containing over 20 tons of phosgene on the south slope of Hill #322, Bois de Apremont, St. Agnant and the surrounding trench works which were occupied by the 103rd Infantry” (Shay, 2008). The author’s claim, in this case, is to help in identifying the devastating impact caused by German’s attack. Through this attack, we get to understand that many people lost their lives that day in May 1918. Based on the information provided by the author, 33 men died that day, 12 were wounded, and those who were hospitalized from the effects of the gas summed to 162.
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"Soldier’s Mail for May 1918".
The German attack on the Allied front was devastating. German army used all its firepower and toxic gases to attack the allied front. The victory attained by Germany, in this case, was because they were advantaged. Germany had a tactical advantage since they were better placed in areas where they had good observation and could carry out attacks effectively as well as penetrate the Allied front through several ravines. This mail document is significant in the study of world history because it outlines the adverse effects of war. Also, it shows global interconnectivity seen through the groups that joined the Allied front to fight the Germans as one.
