Battle of Verdun

The Battle of Verdun lasted from February 21 to December 18, 1916, on the fortified hills along the Meuse river in northeastern France. The German chief of staff, Erich von Falkenhayn, chose Verdun because France would defend it at any cost, and he planned to 'bleed France white' with artillery that fired a million shells in the first days. The German attack began after a massive bombardment, and on February 25 they took Fort Douaumont, the biggest fort, almost without a fight.¹²

After two years of stalemate, Falkenhayn wanted a way to break France without frontal assaults. Verdun was a salient with a symbolic importance and one narrow road, which became the Voie Sacree, the Sacred Way, along which trucks carried men and supplies day and night. General Philippe Petain took command and organized a rotation system so that most of the French army served at Verdun at some point. Nivelle's June order of the day, 'They shall not pass', became the slogan of the defense. The Germans ran short of men as the Somme offensive began in July and Russia's Brusilov offensive drew away reserves.¹²

French counterattacks recaptured Fort Douaumont in October and most of the lost ground by December. Total casualties are estimated at 700,000 to 750,000, around 300,000 of them deaths, with French losses somewhat higher than German. The landscape was torn up, and nine villages were destroyed and never rebuilt. Falkenhayn was dismissed in August 1916, replaced by Hindenburg and Ludendorff. The battle sapped French strength, is often linked to the exhaustion behind the army mutinies of 1917, and left Verdun a national symbol of sacrifice.¹²