Apparently there are some seriously, seriously contaminated areas in france where the concentrations of unexploded WWI ordnance are so dense, and the explosive compounds are so unstable after a century of degradation, that there's just a big "Fuck off this place'll kill ya!" barrier around the area.
Not just apparently, it's called "Zone Rouge" and it's not just the explosives that are a danger, but all the heavy metals like lead and mercury and poisons from gases that make both agriculture and habitation untenable. The zone has obviously shrunk since 1917, it having been over 100 years and all, but it's still exists in the areas of the most intense fighting.
Apparently there are some seriously, seriously contaminated areas in france where the concentrations of unexploded WWI ordnance are so dense, and the explosive compounds are so unstable after a century of degradation, that there's just a big "Fuck off this place'll kill ya!" barrier around the area.
Not just apparently, it's called "Zone Rouge" and it's not just the explosives that are a danger, but all the heavy metals like lead and mercury and poisons from gases that make both agriculture and habitation untenable. The zone has obviously shrunk since 1917, it having been over 100 years and all, but it's still exists in the areas of the most intense fighting.
I wonder if those caused issues during ww2?