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A terrible conflict, so much so that it was nicknamed by its contemporaries as \u201cthe war to end all wars\u201d (at least, that was their hope), World War I<\/strong> not only caused more than 9 million deaths and missing persons<\/b> (4 million in France), it also left its share of wounded and maimed (3.5 million individuals)<\/b>, including the infamous \u201cgueules cass\u00e9es\u201d (broken faces). In 1916<\/b>, the \u201cterrible year\u201d<\/b> of the Battle of Verdun (February 21 to December 18), an initiative was launched at the H\u00f4pital des Invalides: the making of paper cornflowers.<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n At dawn on November 11, 1918, the French general staff signed the armistice in the presence of a German delegation in a railway carriage belonging to the Compagnie des Wagons-Lits, in the forest of Compi\u00e8gne, a short distance from the village of Rethondes, in the Hauts-de-France region.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thus, on each anniversary of the 1918 armistice, it is customary to wear insignia in the shape of cornflowers (made of paper or metal) in one’s buttonhole. These are sold by the state in order to financially support war wounded of yesterday and today and, more generally, to \u201chelp those who remain,\u201d which is its primary mission.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Although the French chose the cornflower<\/b> as a symbol to commemorate veterans and war wounded<\/b>, the reason for this choice is not to be found in the language of flowers. According to this language, this wild plant<\/b> evokes delicacy and shyness<\/b> and is \u201cthe messenger of all pure, naive, or delicate feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Its bright blue color<\/b> is reminiscent of the horizon blue uniforms of the French infantry<\/b> from 1915 to 1921. This color is inseparable from the poilus<\/b>, located between \u201cbluish iron gray\u201d and \u201csky blue\u201d<\/b>, adopted by the general staff in 1912 on the grounds that it was more difficult to target than blue and red uniforms. This similarity also led to the soldiers<\/b> themselves being nicknamed \u201cles bleuets\u201d<\/b>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nA tender heart and a tough flower<\/h3>\n