Re:The Legend of Verdun
by mannykannot on Sunday February 21, 2016 @06:46PM
(#11147306)
I agree with all the answers that have been posted so far, but I think it is worth pointing out that, in idiomatic usage, an event or person may be described as legendary even when the facts are well-known.
The way it works is this: many historically-important legends have a basis in important events in a people's history, when bold and resourceful action saved the day, but the story tends to exaggerate the glory. A recent event may be described as legendary if it has those properties to a degree that is normally only seen in legends, and the same goes for the primary actors in those actions. An example that comes to mind is Shackleton and his rescue of his crew, a legend in the history of exploration.
I mention this because of the sentence 'Yet over the interwar years it justly came to be seen as France’s “finest hour.”' (my emphasis.) I think that here, the author is saying that the battle reached legendary status within the French national psyche, without implying that this is a misreading of history.
To be clear, I agree that if Maginot's enthusiasm for forts was a result of Verdun, the author is saying that was a misreading of history. As for Hitler's "no retreat" doctrine, I think the point is that he was, for his own reasons, making the same mistake as the generals at Verdun: I doubt that his attitude owed much, if anything, specifically to that battle (he was at the Somme at the time.)
The way it works is this: many historically-important legends have a basis in important events in a people's history, when bold and resourceful action saved the day, but the story tends to exaggerate the glory. A recent event may be described as legendary if it has those properties to a degree that is normally only seen in legends, and the same goes for the primary actors in those actions. An example that comes to mind is Shackleton and his rescue of his crew, a legend in the history of exploration.
I mention this because of the sentence 'Yet over the interwar years it justly came to be seen as France’s “finest hour.”' (my emphasis.) I think that here, the author is saying that the battle reached legendary status within the French national psyche, without implying that this is a misreading of history.
To be clear, I agree that if Maginot's enthusiasm for forts was a result of Verdun, the author is saying that was a misreading of history. As for Hitler's "no retreat" doctrine, I think the point is that he was, for his own reasons, making the same mistake as the generals at Verdun: I doubt that his attitude owed much, if anything, specifically to that battle (he was at the Somme at the time.)