Decimation in WWI

Decimation in World War I originally referred to a Roman punishment where every tenth soldier in a dissenting group was killed, to maintain discipline. In the context of WWI, the term is sometimes used metaphorically to describe severe losses or reductions in military strength resulting from intense battles, especially when large numbers of troops or resources were lost. It highlights the devastating impact of the war's brutal trench warfare and mass casualties, illustrating how the armies and societies faced enormous sacrifices and destruction during the conflict.