The National WWI Museum and Memorial is proud to present Devastated Lands! Check out the newest exhibit to hit the museum this Saturday, November 23rd, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
The Western Front of World War I that the American forces saw when they arrived and until they returned home was comprised of scenes of environmental degradation on an unfathomable scale, obliterated villages with only rubble to mark their place, vast cemeteries and massive destruction. Much of the landscape of the Western Front in 1919 looked like an uninhabited planet very foreign to them. Of course, the other nations that had been there since 1914 had seen and lived in the destruction, but never became inured to it.
Devastated lands in France and Belgium from the destruction of World War I are still evident. Examples of affected French towns and villages include Fleury-devant-Douaumont, Pozières, Ripont, Tahure, Regniéville, Flirey, Moussy-sur Aisne, Ailles and Courtecon. Many others ceased to exist.
Unexploded ordnance from the war still lurks in the soil of Europe. Trained crews of disposal experts travel constantly through the battle areas finding, transporting and destroying live artillery shells, including poison gas ones, ammunition, and grenades. Farmers often turn them up in their fields and place the still-lethal objects alongside the roads. Teenagers harvesting potatoes in Belgium must be careful because dirt-covered German “egg” grenades look like the pomme de terre.
It is estimated that it will take an additional 100 years to find and remove the still potent remnants of the First World War and the global conflict that followed 20 years later. The deadly legacy of the war is still with us. Devastated Lands examines these desolated landscapes through a series of photographs and illustrations from the collection of the National WWI Museum and Memorial.
Learn more about the lesser-known but still powerful effects of World War I during Devastated Lands. Devastated Lands will be on display until March 29, 2020. General admission to the museum ranges from $10 to $14. For more information, visit www.theworldwar.org.
At Domain City Center Apartments in Lenexa, Kansas, we believe it’s important to live life vigorously. Soak up the very best our greater community has to offer when you attend this highly-anticipated local event!
Event Time/Date:
Saturday, November 23, 2019—9:00 AM
Event Venue Location:
National WWI Museum and Memorial
2 Memorial Drive
Kansas City, Missouri 64108