Week 9: FINAL BLOG POST!!!!

Project Progress

This week I worked on finishing up my two projects the Interactive Map and the Story Map.  I worked on finding pictures for both maps and finishing up adding history notes to both the interactive and story map.  I am basically finished with both projects, I plan to keep looking at them and making any changes necessary to better my two projects.  The website where I found my pictures I found can be found in my Project Links tab above.  I added pictures from both my personal photos and also images I found on the Internet, I think adding images is very important because it adds something to look at other than only text which may bore the user.  

Semester Overview

This is my favorite class I have ever been apart of.  I had a lot of fun going to France with my classmates and developing relationships with them, Professor Hupy and his wife; and also keeping those relationships when we returned to the United States.  My favorite part of the class was going to France, it was such an amazing experience for me because I have never been outside of the United States before.  I loved being on the Battle Field in Verdun and learning about the history of the battle.  I thought it was really unique that we got to be on multiple World War I battle fields, while having Christina Holstein describe what happened at each location.   Being at Verdun inspired me to base my project around the Battle of Verdun.  This semester also greatly influenced my geography skills.  Throughout the semester I learned how to use templates on ArcGIS to represent the data and history that I found.  These newly learned skills will be very helpful for in the future as the Geography Department is starting to use ArcGIS more and more.  I also greatly benefited from doing blog posts, having my Professor push me to have more in depth and professional looking blogs will help me in the future in the class room and it should help me find a job.  

Group photo in the city of Verdun

Project Overview

As I mentioned earlier I found my inspiration for my project after being on the battle field of Verdun.  I loved walking around, touring forts and being inside trenches.  I was especially interested in the front lines during the war.  I became very interested when Christina Holstein explained how the Germans advanced through the battle with lines drawn on here own personal map.  This lead to me creating a map of front lines and also other elements to help describe the Battle of Verdun.  A more in depth description of how I decided to make my projects can be viewed in my previous blog posts starting with Week 1.   

The first step of the semester started with creating two different story maps one on ArcGIS online and one on Google.  This was done to help our class to become familiar with the templates that we had the option of basing our projects on.  My first story map on ArcGIS can be found here and the other one on Google can be found here.  The Google tour requires an installation of Google Earth plugin.  

First Slide of my practice Story Map 

After practicing with both the ArcGIS templates and Google template I decided I wanted to use the ArcGIS one because it allowed for a map to be edited and drawn on.  This was very important to me because I wanted to create a map with front lines and my options to do this were slimming.  I took some time to play around on this map and figure out what this map has to offer.  I found that it allows for the user to draw lines, and edit these lines by making them different colors and patterns.  This allowed for my map to look very professional and easy to read.  At also allowed for points, areas, and a description text box.  In this description box I added history notes and pictures to make the map very interacting.  After more practicing with the ArcGIS map and Story Map I decided on what my project would consist of.  I knew that I wanted to create two projects: one being an interactive map on ArcGIS and one being a Story Map as a tour of the Battle of Verdun.

My Interactive map on ArcGIS 

I then dedicated a lot of my time in researching and reading on the Battle of Verdun as I knew my two projects would require a lot of history for them to be complete.  I looked at books and websites on the Battle of Verdun, sources like the Western Front Association, History of the Battle of Verdun, and the book Price of Glory  were very useful to me in coming up with a good overview of what I though would be most important in the Battle of Verdun.  After reading these sources I then proceeded to add important information regarding the Battle of Verdun to my map.  I added information of battle plans, who was where when, important generals, and the main forts of the battle.  I also added some quotes to describe the terrible conditions the war had.  Also during my research I had to find good maps that represented where front lines were during the battle.  I did find some really good maps like the one below that helped me draw the front lines.  After finding these maps I then used them as a reference to manually draw my lines on to my interactive map.  The process of how to draw these lines and other map notes can be found in my Week 7 blog.  I found this to be kind of difficult as I had to change or delete the lines multiple times to create the most accurate map.

Map I used as a reference 

After completing my interactive by drawing lines, points, adding history notes, and pictures I then could start my second project.  This story map would use the same map I just completed in its template except it can not be clicked on therefore defeating its purpose.  This story map is very similar to my first project as it covers the same material just in a different way.  The story map was very easy to complete as I already had the history notes and pictures I just have to add them in.

First slide of my story map

I set the pictures in the correct order corresponding to the order of important events during the Battle of Verdun.  For more information on how to use this template you can view my Week 4 blog post.  After completing this story map my two projects were now ready to be viewed by the public and used on our Class Website.

Home page of our class website created by: Zack Robison

Problems and Future

A couple of things I wish I could have done with project: I was hoping to somehow use ArcMap with my project by bringing in a digitized map of front lines.  The map I found on ArcGIS was much easier for me to cuse by drawing the lines manually and it allowed for the pop up box which the digitized lines would not have.  I also wish I would have known what my project would have been on during the trip so I could take more pictures to use and to ask Christina Holstein any questions I had about the Battle of Verdun. 

This week I will finish up my projects for Monday's deadline, I am only going to edit little things nothing too major.  It was a great class and I will miss it very much, I really liked how everyone's projects turned out especially the videos and our class website.  A great overall job by the class.

Week 8

This Week

This week we were assigned to come up with an overview of our project to be used in our website.  The overview must include an introduction, history of our topic, and our methodology, my product can be seen below.  Not much progress was made on my two projects due to Thanksgiving break.  I am still making progress on my two story maps and hope to finish those up soon. 

 Project Overview

Background

As a geography major at the University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire I have the opportunity to go on many field trips across the United States and the World.  When I first heard about this class and how it involved a ten day trip to France I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to take advantage of, by going to a different culture while also getting credit towards my major.   After learning that the trip would involve a study of World War I by actually going on the battlefields, I knew this trip is right up my alley with my interests in Geography and History.

Introduction

During the trip when our class was able to walk across the battlefields and memorials of Somme and Verdun I became fascinated with World War I.  I especially became interested in the Battle of Verdun.  As our class was walking around the area where the Battle of Verdun took place we were lucky enough to have a great tour guide, Christina Holstein, walk along with us.  She would talk about every aspect of the War at each location we were at.  She knew everything about the Battle of Verdun of who did what and when, and if they were successful or not.  Listening to Christina talk made me very interested in the Battle of Verdun leading me towards wanting more knowledge of the battle.  This lead to my project idea of studying and gathering information of the Battle of Verdun and making a map of the Battle that features front lines, forts, and key events during the war. 

History

The Battle of Verdun Started on February 21^st 1916 as the Germans, behind Falkenhayn, launched a somewhat surprised attack on France.  The Germans quickly gained ground on France by capturing the biggest fort in Verdun, For Douaumont.   After losing Fort Douaumount France turned to General Pétain to lead the defenses in Verdun.  After the Germans captured Fort Douaumont the Battle started to stall as little ground was gained due heavy artillery shelling and trench war fare.  The Germans managed some substantial ground and Fort Vaux but eventually the French ended up gaining back the ground and forts lost and winning the Battle.   Because of the constant shelling, bad war tactics, and high ground the Battle of Verdun is considered to be one of the impactful and deadliest battles of all time accounting in huge amounts of casualties for both the French and Germans.  My two projects go into further detail about the Battle of Verdun with an interactive map and a Tour Story Map of the Battle. 

Methods

After having an idea of what my project was going to be I knew that it was going to require me to do a lot of research and reading.  To gather my information on the Battle of Verdun I went online and found many great websites on the Battle of Verdun I also went to the Library and used books from Amazon to complete my research.  Some great resources that cover the Battle of Verdun are: The Western Front Association, The Price of Glory by Alistair Horne, and books by our tour guide Christina Holstein.   I used the website ArcGIS to create my two projects.  This first one creating a map on ArcGIS and editing the map by adding map features as lines, points, and polygons and adding pictures and descriptions to each of them.  The second project called a story map is a template available for use on ArcGIS.  In this template I uploaded the same map from my first project but then added pictures and descriptions to make a tour of the Battle of Verdun. 

 

Week 7

Project Progress

Map of the Battle of Verdun  

This week is spend time updating My interactive map of the Battle of Verdun to make it look more professional and adding detail to the map.  I also spent time finding more sources and reading to gather more information on the Battle of Verdun.  My sources can be found above by clinking on the links tab.  I found another great map of front lines during the war.  This one was very helpful because of how far the front lines stretched across the map.  I edited my previous lines and made them longer and also added more lines to my map.   

                                                                                                                                                                     

Last Weeks progress

This Weeks progress

                                                                        

Goals

My goals over thanksgiving break is to keep working on my interactive by adding descriptions and more map points.  I also want to begin working on my story map template I need to research for more pictures to use for my interactive and story map. 

Techniques 

The lines, arrows, and points on my interactive map were done by adding map notes.  A step by step process of how to add these map notes will be done in this process.  The first step is to go to ArcGIS online and create an account.  In order to create an account you will need access to ESRI, the university I attend allows our students to do this.  The next step is to click on my content and create a map towards the top of the page.  After clicking this your page should like the picture to the right. 

From here you can zoom to any location you would like to fit your desired map.  You can also choose a different basemap to one that fits your eye the best.  The basemap button is found on the top left of the page.  The next step is to save and share your map.

The save and share button are above the map, hit the save as button and add a title, you must add tags to the map in order to save the map.  Then clicking the share button, and choosing everyone, making your map open for the world to view.   After doing these steps you are now able to start editing your map.  To add map notes to the map you will need to click the edit button next to the basemap button and choose the 5th one down "add map notes".   From here choose a title for you map notes and you can also choose a template that fits your desire: Recreation, Park Planning, Map Notes, Civic Events, Oil and Gas Infrastructure, or Citizen Request.  After choosing one of these templates you are now ready to add dimensions to your map.  An 'add features' box should appear to the right of your map allowing you to place 

After choosing a template you are able to choose a feature
to add to your map. 

points, lines, and areas to your map.  After adding a point, line, or area a description box should pop up allowing you to add a title, description, and picture to you feature.  You are also able to edit your feature in this pop up box by editing the symbol, the color, transparency, and pattern of your line.  All options are very valuable to you to make your map look professional and presentable.  Make sure to choose good colors and patterns that look good to the eye.  

Example of a pop up box

If you make a mistake and you do not wish to delete the completed area or line you can edit these by clicking on them twice and editing the vertices to change the length or direction of the line or area, a very useful tool.  At any time you can add map notes more map notes to make categories making the legend more clear also continue to save you map making sure no progress has been lost.  After completing the map notes click on the details button to switch out of editing view.  From this view you are able to see your map how it looks in its finished product.  For an example of this please visit my map of the Battle of Verdun. 

Week 6

Progress

Right now my project is going along smoothly, I will continue to do research on the Battle of Verdun and work on my two maps, the interactive map and the story map with a template.  I have made good progress on my interactive map adding map notes, pictures, and descriptions to the map.  I am still yet to start the story map.  Both maps will cover the same material but in a different format.  

Formats

The first format is what I call an interactive map.  This map allows you for you to draw lines, add points, descriptions, and pictures perfect for describing a War.  Here is the progress of my interactive although this product is not finished I am really liking how it is turning out. 

Progress of my interactive map: Battle of Verdun

 This interactive map allows you to click on the lines, points, and arrows with description boxes popping up next to them.   I am organizing my map through 3 phases of the war each phase getting a different color to make it look organized and easier to read.   The first phase is the Germans advancing to Fort Douaumont, the second phase being the Germans advancing to Fort Vaux and Fleury Village before being stopped.  The final third stage will be France pushing the Germans back and regaining the ground they lost.  If you look to the left of the map you will be able to see contents under that allows you check and uncheck each phase furthering the interactive experience of this map.    Each map will have a description box looking like the picture below.

The second format will be a story map template.  An overview of the template I will be using can be found here.  This template allows for pictures to be displayed much bigger and easier to view.  The template does come with  a map but it will not be interactive.   My story map is yet to really be started but you can view the progress I will be making.    I am going to importing my pictures through Pisca which is run through Google making it easy too add photos to your Google account and then to my map.  This template can be edited in many ways to see all the different ways to edit this template check out my Week 4 blog.

The picture above is an example of what my story map will look like.  So far I only have 1 picture on my story map but eventually the completed map will allow you to scroll through each picture with separate descriptions and locations.

Plan

My plan for this week is continue my research for important historic events, maps, pictures, and other things that will better my two maps.  Also start my story map and start to complete my interactive map. 

Week 5

Progress

I am planing on creating two different story maps.  One being an interactive map on the ArcGIS online Map Page and one using the Story Map Template.  The interactive map will include lines, points marking key events, arrows, and other elements to a good interactive map.  All of these elements will include a description of what happened on this location and some will include a picture.  The Story Map is more for the pictures and it also more professional.  The story map will include the same information as the interactive map but the template will not allow the map to be interactive.   The progress of my story maps has been a lot history of reading and researching.  I am looking for key events, dates, and battle lines during the Battle of Verdun.  My sources will come from books and websites they include: Price of Glory written by Alistar Horne, books written by Christina Hosltien: Fort Douaumont and Fort Vaux, and also the website Western Front Association.  

History Notes 

Below are key history notes from the Battle of Verdun that I will use in creating my interactive and story map.
- Falkenhavns plan was not hand to hand or gun to gun combat but to use heavy artillery on forts and to move the front line forward.  Falkenhayn believed that the French would never fall back out of Verdun so destroying their army was his plan. 

Phase 1

- The Battle of Verdun started at 7:15 a.m. on February 21st 1916.  

-  Heavy snow on the ground and the Germans who had 1 million soldiers in the vicinity were waiting to attack and the French only 250,00 troops.  

-German's first day did not go as planed it took them an entire day to push through french lines and little ground was gained.  Lt. Colonel Driant heroics held the Germans off for awhile until they pushed past Bois des Caures on Feb 21st.  

-By Feb 25th, small amounts of Germans reached Fort Douaumont they Germans destroyed the only big railway out of Verdun and many French Reinforcements were brought in to defend.

-After the French lost Douaumont their strategy became different, a new leader Petain, new commander of the defense of Verdun, ordered to hold Verdun at all costs.  He rotated troops and supplies 24 hours a day and their heavy artillery guns increased from 164 to over 500 and were shelling the Germans at a continuous rate.   

-As the battle continued into March the conditions for the Germans to moved forward were extremely difficult.  The cratered ground and the ground now unthawing and turning into mud made it very hard to walk through.  

-The Germans tried crossing the Meuse and attack but it lead to more deaths as Franz Marc, a German artist, described: "For days I have seen nothing bu the most terrible things that can be painted from a human mind,"

Phase 2

- By March 81,000 Germans had been lost and 89,000 to the French

-In May the French tried some counter attacks to regain ground, but they were not successful as the Germans held their ground.

The Germans attacked Fort Vaux in June and took the fort on June 7th as an epic struggle in pitch darkness.  This would be the limit of the Germans success.

- In the East the Russians attacked more heavily causing Falkenhayn to withdraw some soldiers of Verdun causing the offensive attacks to slow down.  

-After the Germans took Fort Vaux they went on to Fort Souville, the Germans bombarded the fort with  phosgene gas shells but it turned out to not be that effective against the French Gas Masks.     

-June 23rd the Germans obtained the village of Fleury and Thiamont.  

- July 11 30 Germans reached the outside of Fort Souville but no reinforcements came causing them to retreat.  

Phase 3

-As the control of Fleury and Thiamont went back and forth the German commanders decided to fall back to defensive mode

-In late October the French planned to retake Fort Douaumont and on the 25the they were successful by means of heavy artillery fire.  

-November 2nd the French pushed the Germans out of Fort Vaux taking all of the energy out of the German  soldiers as the knew defeat was near.

- December 18 marked the last day of the war as the French pushed the Germans to their original position in February.  The Battle of Verdun was the longest single battle during WWI.  

-French casualties 550,00 to Germans 434,000

-These two maps of front lines during the Battle of Verdun are from the Western Front Association. 

One Picture that I used to help draw front lines

Another Picture to help me draw my front lines

Story Map Techniques

To create these maps first open up ArcGIS Online and if you have an account go to content and create map.  From here I went to the location of my desired map which is France and started editing my map.  To add map elements, lines, and points like this picture to the right, you must click the add button and add map notes.  I am going to organize my map in 3 phases in the same order of my key events above.   In order to do this in an organized fashion I will add 3 different map notes each labeled Phase 1, 2, and 3.  After adding these maps notes you have the option of putting a description of why each line or point is positioned the way it is.  You are also able to edit the color of each map note and add a photo.  In order to add photo you must have its link and a folder that hosts these photos.  The University 

Description Box: Here you can add a title description, and image
these will all appear on the pop up box when clicking on the point. 

I attend allows me to have this access to a web hosted folder allowing all our pictures to have a link.   The finished product of my interactive map will allow me to click on each point, line, or arrow and having a box pop up having a picture or description of what happened at this location during the Battle of Verdun.    

This is one example of what my finished product will consist of,
this example being Fort Douaumont.  

Goals

My goals in the next two weeks are to keep working on my two different story maps and continue to do research for pictures and front lines.  I am looking for more descriptions of the conditions of the battle and more quotes of terror during the battle.  

Week 4

Story Map

Battle of Verdun will be my story map along with a timeline of where each army was during the war by using lines.  The story map I am going to create will consist of lines drawn on a map to indicate where the German and French were during the battle of Verdun.  Also pictures that I took and pictures that I can find on the Internet to use for my story map.  I am going to do research and read books on the Battle of Verdun to come up with my battle lines and description of what each army was doing during this time.  The Books I will be using are Price of Glory by Alistair Horne, and two Books written Christina Holstein, Fort Vaux and Fort Douaumont.  Also anything else I can find on the Internet to help better my project.  

Template

For my template I am either going to use the regular story map that I first used to make my practice story map (First Story Map).  This one is very easy to use and I am familiar with the program.  The only problem is this map does not have a time line.  I will either have to use ArcMap to edit my Battle Lines or use the add tool in ArcGIS online when creating my map layer.  There is one template that I could use that would fit well for the type of story map I am wanting to create.  It has a timeline that allows you to see different features on the map.  Here it is: (TimeLine map).  This story map (below) is of Civil War Battlefields and as you play the timeline it shows when different battles occurred on the map.  This would be a great template for as I could draw lines on the map of where the French and Germans were during the war.  The only problem I see with this map is the there is no room for pictures and I the user did not have descriptions for each war.  I would definitely want a text box where I could type in descriptions for each front line.  

Techniques

1. Original Story Map: (Overview of story map template).  The first step is to go to ArcGIS online and create a map.  Then being brought to map of the world then zooming in to the correct portion of the world in my case France.  This map feature allows you to create an application of which template you would like.  It also allows you too add layers to your map like, points, lines and anything data from ArcMap you have created.  To create the story map application you must save the map and then share it to everyone.  The next step is to pick a template and publish it. 

-If I am going to use this template I am going to have to draw my lines by using the add feature to edit and draw lines on my map like the picture to right.  The only problem is I have not figure out how to only show one line at a time and make the descriptions of each line show up.  The reason why I like this template so much is you can easily add pictures and descriptions for each picture.  If my template doesn't allow for any pictures I think I will struggle to come up with successful story map. 

up one line at a time.  I do not think that will work that well as a template with time bar would.  The other option is to add layers to my map by Georeferencing and Digitizing my front lines.

The map before making the application.

2. After publishing the template go to its home screen.  Clicking the share button again is a must if you wish to edit your own story map.  Then to open the application you must click open then view application and switch to builder mode. 

Home Page of Template before the application opens

3. From here choosing start from scratch is usually the best option.  You can add the pictures you want later.  In this builder mode you can add pictures by clicking import from Pisca, a CVS template or Facebook.  When you add your pictures you will be able to add a point to the map so it will zoom to that level, very useful when you are doing a map of traveling and have specific sites you visited.  This tool allows the viewer to see where you have been and where it is compared to other places.  This photo below is just an example of what a picture along side its map with the location would look like.  

After adding photos you can see "edit me" which allows you to add descriptions and titles to each photo.  

-Below is an example of what my story map might consist of.  It will have a photo and Front Lines on the map to the right.  In the photo description box I will describe what line the photo matches up with and what is happening in the photo.  I imported this photo through Pisca and then edited the description of the photo.  The Lines and points you see on the right is done by editing the map before you enter the application.

4.  Settings

The settings button allows you to edit your map layout, color, locations, zoom level, and header.  

CSV

This first step in creating a CSV is to download the CSV template which you can find when you create your story map and before you import pictures.  When you download the CSV go to it and enter the information on the excel page.  Picture name, description, color, long, lat, URL, and thumbnail URL.   I created a CSV but I am not sure if I am going to use it I will probably just add my pictures through Pisca.  I found this to be
much easier then to go in and edit your excel sheet.  Plus I could not figure out how to get thumbnail JPEGs. All of the ones I tried on the Internet did not work.  I talked to Lee and he said he made the thumbnails through photoshop, I have not had time for that yet.