In February 1916 the Germans attacked French defensive positions at the Battle of Verdun, lasting until December 1916. The Germans made initial gains, before French counter-attacks returned matters to near their starting point. Casualties were greater for the French, but the Germans bled heavily as well, with anywhere from 700,000 to 975,000 casualties suffered between the two combatants. Verdun became a symbol of French determination and self-sacrifice. The Battle of the Somme was an Anglo-French offensive of July to November 1916. The opening day of the offensive  was the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army, suffering 57,470 casualties, including 19,240 dead. The entire Somme offensive cost the British Army some 420,000 casualties. The French suffered another estimated 200,000 casualties and the Germans an estimated 500,000. Gun fire wasn't the only factor taking lives; the diseases that emerged in the trenches were a major killer on both sides. The living conditions made it so that countless diseases and infections occurred, such as trench foot, shell shock, blindness/burns from mustard gas, lice, trench fever, cooties  and the ‘Spanish Flu'.

How many months passed from the battle of Verdun started to when the Battle of the Somme started?
A: 9

Greenleaf expanded and upgraded the Conn plant, and converted distribution from mail-order to retail dealers.  By 1917 the assembly-line work force had increased to 550 employees who were turning out about 2500 instruments a month using a new hydraulic expansion process which Greenleaf introduced to the plant.  In 1917 Conn introduced the Pan American brand for its second-line instruments.  Conn founded the subsidiary Pan American Band Instrument Company in 1919 and later that year moved production of second-line instruments to the old Angledile Scale factory. In 1930 the Pan American company was absorbed by Conn, but the Pan American brand for Conns second-line instruments remained in use until 1955. Conn founded the Continental Music retail subsidiary in 1923.  At its height, the operation included a chain of over 30 music stores.  During the 1920s Conn owned the Elkhart Band Instrument Company (1923–27), the Leedy Company (1927–55), a manufacturer of percussion, and 49.9% of the stock of the retailer Selmer Company (1923–27).  Conn purchased the drum manufacturer Ludwig Drums, the instrument import/retail operation of the Carl Fischer Music company, and accordion manufacturer Soprani in 1929.  From 1940 to 1950 they owned the Haddorff Piano Company, and from 1941 to 1942 the Straube Piano Company.

Which company did Conn own the longest period of time, Haddorf Piano Company or Straube Piano Company?
A: Haddorff Piano Company

The Azov campaigns of 1695-96 , were two Russian military campaigns during the Russo-Turkish War of 1686-1700, led by Peter the Great and aimed at capturing the Turkish fortress of Azov , which had been blocking Russia's access to the Azov Sea and the Black Sea.  Since the Crimean campaigns of 1687 and 1689 had failed because of the difficulty of moving a large army across the steppe, Peter decided to try a river approach.

How many different years did the Azov campaigns take place?
A:
2