after the engagement of the XXth corps, the battle had taken a turn
for the better. Reports from the front said nothing about Douaumont.
But inquiry showed that the German report was true, though no one as
yet knew how the fort had been taken. In the meantime, the German
communiqué was being flashed around the world, and the French had to
say something. So headquarters explained. "In the midst of total
ignorance at Chantilly about the way the attack had taken place, we
imagined, in the evening communiqué of the 26th, a plan of the attack
which certainly had a thousand to one chance of being true." The
communiqué of this imaginary battle read:

"A bitter struggle is taking place around Fort de Douaumont which is
an advanced post of the old defensive organization of Verdun. The
position taken this morning by the enemy, _after several
unsuccessful assaults that cost him very heavy losses_, has been
reached again and passed by our troops whom the enemy has not been
able to drive back." [Footnote: This is my own translation: the
English translation from London published in the New York Times of
Sunday, Feb. 27, is as follows:

London, Feb. 26 (1916). A furious struggle has been in progress around
Fort de Douaumont which is an advance element of the old defensive
organization of Verdun fortresses. The position captured this morning
by the enemy after several fruitless assaults which cost him extremely
heavy losses, [Footnote: The French text says "pertes tres elevees."
Thus the English translation exaggerates the original text.] was
reached again and gone beyond by our troops, which all the attempts of
the enemy have not been able to push back."]

What had actually happened differed from both the French and German