Now all roads lead to France and heavy is the tread
Of the living; but the dead returning lightly dance.
Edward Thomas, Roads

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Reminding Schoolchildren of the War

Contributed by Tony Langley


This is an immediate postwar illustration taken from a French writing tablet for use in primary schools. It shows an attack by French infantry on German trenches along the Aisne, just after the French victory on the Marne.



Putting such patriotic war scenes on French and Belgian schoolbooks was not at all that uncommon a way to remind schoolchildren of the recent conflict that had caused so much death and destruction of their countries.

1 comment:

  1. Very little to indicate to the schoolchildren that such an attack would incur heavy casualties, especially as the Germans appear to be firing at their attackers' feet!

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