WWI, Ruins of Ypres, 1915

An aerial photograph of the town of Ypres, Belgium after bombardments, published in the weekly newspaper Le Miroir, Sunday, August 22, 1915. Ypres occupied a strategic position during WWI because it stood in the path of Germany's planned sweep across the rest of Belgium and into France from the north (the Schlieffen Plan). The German army surrounded the city on three sides, bombarding it throughout much of the war. To counterattack, British, French, and allied forces made costly advances from the Ypres Salient into the German lines on the surrounding hills. After the war the town was rebuilt using money paid by Germany in reparations, with the main square, including the Cloth Hall and town hall, being rebuilt as close to the original designs as possible (the rest of the rebuilt town is more modern in appearance). The Cloth Hall today is home to In Flanders Fields Museum, dedicated to Ypres's role in WWI

Restrictions Only for Ireland and United Kingdom

Aftermath Arras Bombed Cath Drale Cathdrale Darras Destroy Devastated Devastation Salient Vaast War Torn War-torn Ypres

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