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Just wondering what was the most moving site of a battle y'all have visited?


For me it was the Little Round Top at Gettysburg (very well preserved btw..including period stone breastworks).

I was at the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor at sunrise once. This sounds weird, but the air isn't right there. Even if you didn't know where you were, you'd know just from the atmosphere that something horrible had happened there.
Gettysburg is the same way.

Dieppe

For me it was the Little Round Top at Gettysburg (very well preserved btw..including period stone breastworks).

I worked at chickamauga as an intern over the summer and It was a well kept battlefield...but it has been changes some.


Gettysburg is perhaps the most well kept battle field in the world.
Right after the battle they realized the importance and immediatly set about to preserve it.


But to answer the question....any Civil War battle field...and perhaps Normandy

Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli peninsula.

madflava13

I was at the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor...

I agree with that. Also, got the same feeling at Shilo.

Shiloh.

You can almost see the ghosts in the morning mist.

Vimy Ridge


Though not really battlefields, both Dachau and Auschwitz will move a person in unimagineable ways. Its been nearly twnety five years since I have visited either one and they both still give me the willies thinking about them.

I visited the battlefield at Verdun in the early 90's and was stunned by the violence endured by the men there. There were still obvious signs of the shelling that tore that area to shreds after 80 years. While in France, I visited Omaha, Gold, Sword and Juno Beaches as well as Waterlo in Belgium. Out of all of those only Omaha Beach came close to what I witnessed at Verdun. Standing on the heights (shear cliff) above Omaha beach I wondered how any of my fellow countrymen survived that day.

Originally posted by VictorH
I visited the battlefield at Verdun in the early 90's and was stunned by the violence endured by the men there. There were still obvious signs of the shelling that tore that area to shreds after 80 years. While in France, I visited Omaha, Gold, Sword and Juno Beaches as well as Waterlo in Belgium. Out of all of those only Omaha Beach came close to what I witnessed at Verdun. Standing on the heights (shear cliff) above Omaha beach I wondered how any of my fellow countrymen survived that day.

Normandy is decent...

But seaside development has changed the area a great deal.

There in no longer a shingle there and the seawall has changed quite a bit.

I suppose living in Canada, and not having ever been out of Canada, it's hard to get to many "famous battle sites".

I have never actually had the option to visit one.

I suppose in some ways that is a good thing (not living in a country that has so many to witness).

Normandy was by far the most moving of the few sites I have visited, although I think Hadrians wall was the most fascinating (although not technically a battlefield.)

I've been to Gettysburg, Manassas and Shiloh, and they all have an impact on you, but I visited Shiloh a month after the WTC attack. When I looked over the headstones at Shiloh's cemetery, it immediately reminded me of the devastation and loss of life America had so recently endured. I had to keep myself from breaking down on the spot, so I'll never forget that particular visit.

KG......Is the original Shiloh Church still there?

As I recall, there was a church on the tour route, but the original structure is no longer in existence (in 2001). There were plans to reconstruct it, but I don't know what they've done since my family's visit. However, most of the battlefield is kept as it was in 1862, (the Hornet's Nest and the site of Albert Sidney Johnston's death). The tree near where Gen. Johnston was shot is gone, but the small pathway to the adjacent ravine where he died is a nondescript and sad way for a general, or anyone else, to end their days on earth.

Originally posted by KG Erwin
........<snip>..... The tree near where Gen. Johnston was shot is gone, but the small pathway to the adjacent ravine where he died is a nondescript and sad way for a general, or anyone else, to end their days on earth.

Dang....KG you can turn a phrase! I need to put Shiloh on my list of things to see.

The most Memorial Battlefield I can recall visiting (since I lived close by) was Antihem (spelling) on the Anniversary of the battle where in the evening a candle is lit for every American (Yank and Confed) that perished that day. Forgive me but I cannont remember the carnage numbers of that day, but it was the bloodiest day of the Civil War. Have had the privelage of camping on that hallowed ground and when you walk around at night it's creepy. If memory serves me correctly 30,000 perished that day.
There's another battle site that is claimed to be haunted nearby...South Mountain....many claim to have seen the troops attacking Union strong points. Velly Interesting.

Originally posted by chief
The most Memorial Battlefield I can recall visiting (since I lived close by) was Antihem (spelling) on the Anniversary of the battle where in the evening a candle is lit for every American (Yank and Confed) that perished that day. Forgive me but I cannont remember the carnage numbers of that day, but it was the bloodiest day of the Civil War. Have had the privelage of camping on that hallowed ground and when you walk around at night it's creepy. If memory serves me correctly 30,000 perished that day.
There's another battle site that is claimed to be haunted nearby...South Mountain....many claim to have seen the troops attacking Union strong points. Velly Interesting.

25,000 died in one day....Antitem creek turned to gel from all the blood





That south mountain thing is weird...the rebel held it and it was the Union attacking.

I was at the Arizona Memorial and it definitely moves you when you realize you're standing over a tomb.

Having been to Midway Island, you can a feeling of utter isolation out there. Standing by one of the old bunkers you can imagine how terrifying it must have been. Knowing that at any moment the Combined Fleet might come over the horizon and you had no where to run to and no where to hide.

The Vicksburg trenches give you an idea of the close quarters at which the Civil War was often fought. They planted alot of trees there in the '30s to prevent erosion (part of FDR civil works progrmas), but have now begun to remove them as better methods have become available. By the way, many of the old homes in the town still show signs of damage in the form of cannon shells stuck in the walls.

Chalmette Park (Battle of New Orleans Battlesite) gives you great perspective on the battle. The British commander should have been courtmartialed. It was bloody suicide to attack Jackson there in a frontal assault. You actually feel sorry for the poor British soldiers who had to assualt the Americans that day.

Hmm, not really a battle site but the most moving spot I recently visited was the remains of the Gestapo building in Berlin.

In the remains of the cellar prison rooms is now an open air memorial site with exhibition.

Scary feeling when you step down there.




Standing at the beaches of Dunqerke last sommer was pretty moving too. Makes you think ....