Ypres Salient

The total number of military and civilian casualties in World War I was over 37 million: over 17 million deaths and 20 million wounded, ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history. The total number of deaths includes about 10 million military personnel and about 7 million civilians. - Wikipedia

We all have these numbers in our heads. We know from history lessons how many military personnel were killed between 1914 and 1918. Visiting some of the graveyards here in Ypres translates those numbers into something tangible. Seeing 
3 000 French crosses followed by 2 000 British and Commonwealth headstones repeated on and on in the many graveyards we passed in this relatively small area of land makes it real. Each cross or headstone represents a life given freely and bravely in the name of peace.

I wonder what those soldiers would think if they came back and looked at the world today. I wonder if they would be a little disappointed at the number of lives still being lost in conflicts all over the world?