Bayonet Trench
The Bayonet Trench is a monument that encases the burial spot of 21 French soldiers who were killed during the Battle of Verdun in June, 1916, and buried by the Germans in a trench which was a common practice at the time. After the war had ended, the site was discovered when observors spotted French rifles protruding from the ground which sparked the myth that the soldiers had been buried alive. 14 of the 21 soldiers were later identified and re-interred in military graves, while the rest remained as a memorial to the unkown casualities of the battle. The structure was designed by Andre Ventre and built using concrete, making it the first permanent memorial to the Battle of Verdun. It was inaugurated in 1920 by president Millerand, and the opening ceremony was attended by Joseph Joffre, Phillip Petain, and Ferdinand Foch.