By destroying Destroying the infrastructure and demolishing Destroying civilian buildings Building in the salient before a withdrawal Escaping , the Germans could dislocate Placing Franco-British offensive preparations by forcing Hostile_encounter them to advance Self_motion into a wasteland .

hundreds of square miles were reduced Cause_change_of_position_on_a_scale to wasteland , causing Causation over $ 1 billion in damage ( equivalent to $ billion today ) , thousands of animals were killed Killing , and mount st. helens was left GiveUp with a crater on its north side .