During the major economic crisis in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon at the beginning of the 20th century, the mobilization order of 1914 triggered an unexpected wave of patriotism. Nearly 600 men left the archipelago to join the battlefields of the Somme or the Chemin des Dames, paying a huge price with over a hundred missing.
But the war was not just fought in Europe. This episode reveals the reality of daily life in the islands. It highlights the crucial role played by local charities that supported the war effort from behind the scenes.
The narrative also explores the dark aspects of the conflict, such as the scandal of spoiled cod sent to the troops or the tragic fate of a soldier from the archipelago shot as an example. Finally, the threat even reached our shores with the unsettling presence of German submarines, the famous U-Bootes, patrolling our territorial waters.
A poignant story that delves into the deep social and human consequences of a conflict that has lasting effects on the population of the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, and more broadly, has reshaped the face of our society.
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