Upper Lake >> The 100th anniversary of one of the greatest tragedies of the Great War will happen this summer. It took place between July 1 and 18 Nov. 18, 1916 on both sides of upper reaches of the River Somme in France. It was the largest battle of World War I on the western front; more than one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history.
This will be the topic of this month’s Lake County History Roundtable on Monday at 6:15 p.m. at the Tallman Hotel.
Local historian Zane Jensen will explore what led to the battle, the battle itself and the aftermath of the Battle of the Somme. Jensen, a history teacher with Terrace Middle School in Lakeport, will present a multimedia presentation that will describe the technology that drove the carnage.
In addition, Phil Smoley will present some casualty statistics on World War I, and how they compare to other wars.
The history roundtable meets the first Monday of most months. Admission is free.
For more information, contact Smoley at phils@countryair.com or Jensen at zjensen@lakeport.k12.ca.us.
The Tallman Hotel is located at 9550 Main St. in Upper Lake.
