December 18 Birthday
The Battle of Verdun ended on December 18, 1916, after 302 days — the longest battle of World War I. German Chief of Staff Erich von Falkenhayn had planned to "bleed France white" by attacking a position the French would defend at all costs. He succeeded, but Germany bled as well. French casualties were 377,000; German were 337,000. The battlefield was so cratered by artillery that the landscape was permanently altered. Nine French villages were destroyed and never rebuilt. The battle produced the famous phrase "They shall not pass," attributed to General Pétain. Steven Spielberg, born this day in 1946, has directed the highest-grossing films of all time multiple times. Jaws (1975) invented the summer blockbuster. E.T. (1982) was the highest-grossing film ever until Jurassic Park (1993). Schindler's List (1993) was filmed in black and white because Spielberg felt color would make the Holocaust "too beautiful.". People born on December 18 fall under the zodiac sign of Sagittarius. The birthstone is Tanzanite and the birth flower is Holly. Historical events on December 18 include 1787: New Jersey becomes third state to ratify US Constitution, 1916: Battle of Verdun ends (longest battle of WWI, 700,000 casualties), 1865: 13th Amendment formally certified by Secretary of State. Famous people born on December 18 include Ty Cobb (1886), Betty Grable (1916), Steven Spielberg (1946).