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Every village in France guarded at night by men asking for identification from strangers
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Every village in France guarded at night by men asking for identification from strangers
Every village in France guarded at night by men asking for identification from strangers. Date: 1914
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Media ID 20953639
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Beginning Guarded Identification Papers Strangers Verification Villages
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August 1914: Every Village in France Guarded at Night by Men Asking for Identification from Strangers As the shadows lengthened and the first stars began to twinkle in the summer sky, the tranquility of rural France was shattered by the inexorable march of war. The Great War, also known as World War I, had erupted in Europe, and the French borderlands were on high alert. In this evocative photograph from 1914, we witness a scene that would soon become a common sight in villages across France: men, armed with rifles and determination, standing guard at the village entrance, demanding identification from strangers. The image captures the tense atmosphere of the early days of the conflict, as the French people braced themselves for the invasion that many believed was imminent. The soldiers, who were often local volunteers, were tasked with ensuring the safety of their communities by verifying the identities of travelers passing through their villages at night. The sight of these men, their faces etched with concern and resolve, would have been a reassuring presence for the villagers, who lived in fear of the unknown. The photograph is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by ordinary people during the First World War. It also underscores the profound impact that the war had on French society, as the country mobilized its resources and its people to defend its borders and preserve its way of life. As the sun set on another day in August 1914, the men of the French villages stood their ground, vigilant and determined, ready to protect their homes and their families from the encroaching darkness.
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