Pétain brought a fresh army—the Second—to the fight, and on February 25 he was given the formidable task of holding the right bank of the Meuse. As early as January 1916, French airmen had detected German preparations for the Verdun offensive, and on February 11, 1916, a French intelligence officer discovered a buildup of German troops on the right bank of the Meuse. His article on the Battle of Verdun first appeared in the 13th edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica in 1926 and... French soldiers resting away from the front line at the Battle of Verdun, 1916. The Battle of Verdun, 21 February-15 December 1916, became the longest battle in modern history. Verdun is a small city in northeast France, on the banks of the Meuse River. It was originally planned by the German Chief of General Staff, Erich von Falkenhayn to secure victory for Germany on the Western Front. The Battle of Verdun and the number of casualties Nothing can be said of the number of dead, wounded and missing for certain. The Battle of the Somme (1 July - 18 November 1916) was a joint operation between British and French forces intended to achieve a decisive victory over the Germans on the Western Front. The rest of the German line swept through the second rank of French defenses, capturing Beaumont, the Bois des Fosses, and the Bois des Caurières and advancing on the key fort at Douaumont. The battle began on February 21, 1916, with a nine-hour artillery bombardment firing over 1,000,000 shells by 1,200 guns on a front of 25 miles (40 km), followed by an attack by three army corps (the 3rd, 7th, and 18th). Here Falkenhayn planned to use more than 1200 artillery pieces to destroy French units, whilst making limited use of German infantry to minimise his own casualties. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The Battle of Verdun was fought between February 21st, 1916 and December 18th, 1916. The French troops retreated to Douaumont village, which the Germans later captured on March 2. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). At this point, however, Crown Prince Wilhelm and his staff stopped following Falkenhayn's strategic concept and committed the Fifth Army to greater offensive action. Over the next 10 days, thousands of men and dozens of guns were moved to Verdun to oppose the expected German attack. Here are 10 interesting facts about this epic battle. The Battle of Verdun started on February 21st 1916 and ended on December 16th 1916. Both sides lost about 337,000 soldiers each. This offered the Germans a chance to return to Falkenhayn's strategy but by this time all sense of the original concept was lost, replaced by a fixation to take Verdun. French troops manning a captured German Maxim MG 08 machine gun (mounted on a sledge) at Fort Douaumont, Verdun. Updates? Driant would lead a spirited defense of Verdun in the face of overwhelming forces, when on the first day of fighting the over one million German soldiers had only taken the first line of trenches defended by a mere two hundred thousand French; however the heroic … Despite the Germans’ plan to “bleed France white,” the Battle of Verdun resulted in roughly equal casualties for both sides. The Battle of Verdun was fought in hills north of Verdun, France. Battle of Verdun, (February 21–December 18, 1916), World War I engagement in which the French repulsed a major German offensive. French military leaders declared Verdun could not be held if the east bank of the Meuse was lost and that French national morale would not survive the loss of the city. The French had lost 377,000 men and the Germans 330,000. On 24 June, the Allied bombardment began on the Somme. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Verdun. French cavalry rest on their way to Verdun. The Battle of Verdun—also known as the "Mincing Machine of Verdun" or Meuse Mill—became a symbol of French determination to hold the ground and then roll back the enemy at any human cost. Imperial War Museums - What Was The Battle Of Verdun? Some 300,000 were killed. It was one of the longest, bloodiest, and most-ferocious battles of the war; French casualties amounted to about 400,000, German ones to about 350,000. For many in Britain, the resulting battle remains the most painful and infamous episode of the First World War. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Member of the staff of Le Journal des Débats (Paris). During the battle, the Germans attacked the French army in the Verdun area. French soldiers receiving gas mask training during the Battle of Verdun, 1916. It was the only time that the British and German fleets of 'dreadnought' battleships actually came to blows. French resistance stiffened over subsequent days, however, and the German advance slowed. The Battle of Verdun, 21 February-15 December 1916, became the longest battle in modern history. The German front began the war on February 21, 1916, through a ten-hour artillery bombardment by 808 guns followed by an attack by three army corps. The Battle of Verdun was the longest battle in the whole of the First World War. The Battle of Verdun was a military campaign on the Western Front during World War 1. The battle started on 21 February 1916 and lasted until 16 December 1916. The French also greatly increased the number of artillery pieces at Verdun, leading to the Germans suffering equally from incessant shelling. Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. The battle closed down on 15 December, as winter conditions and results of fighting on the Somme made further activity impossible. By securing the heights on the east bank of the river, the Germans would dominate the surrounding area, making it crucial for the French to retake the ground or loose Verdun. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The Prussians were victorious, gaining a clear westward path to Paris. Zero hour for the Battle of Verdun was set for February 12, 1916. The Battle of Verdun was one of the deadliest battles of World War I . There were nearly 1 million casualties The attack on Verdun (the Germans code-named it ‘Judgment’) came about because of a plan by the German Chief of General Staff, von Falkenhayn. If French defenses had not been shattered in a given area, the scouts retired and directed additional shelling. douaumont ossuary, battle of verdun, world war i france armistice - battle of verdun stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images German trenches destroyed by shelling, Verdun… By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Even worse from a German perspective, the heavy losses at Verdun combined with even greater casualties suffered on the Somme to create a manpower crisis within the army that would become increasingly difficult to resolve as the war continued. 11. The fighting lasted for 303 days, and it remains one of the bloodiest battles in human history. The fortress of Verdun with its surrounding fortifications along the Meuse River was selected because it threatened the main German communication lines, it represented a salient in the French defenses, and the loss of such a storied citadel would be an enormous blow to French morale. In December 1915, General Erich von Falkenhayn , Chief of Staff of the German Army, decided to attack Verdun. He regarded Russia as already paralyzed and Italy as unlikely to affect the outcome of the war, concluding, “Only France remains.” Falkenhayn stated that a breakthrough en masse was unnecessary and that instead Germany should bleed France to death by choosing a point of attack “for the retention of which the French would be compelled to throw in every man they have.”. The night before, German officers and enlisted men readied their weapons and stared with sullen tension at their target across the fields of barbed wire. The battle appeared to be going Falkenhayn's way. Efforts to continue the advance later that month failed, despite the use of phosgene gas. The Battle of Verdun was the largest battle of attrition the world had yet seen, lasting ten months. The general Allied infantry assault began on July 1, and the British suffered nearly 60,000 casualties—with 20,000 killed—on the first day alone. General Philippe Petain was then given command of the French Second Army at Verdun. It took place from February 21 to July 1916, in the area surrounding Verdun in northeastern France . Before the Battle of Verdun, the Germans had fought on two fronts, with allied forces to their west and Russia to their east. Initial plans had been made to mass French forces on the left bank so as to oppose a German crossing, but the French high command soon decreed that a new defensive line, stretching from the heights on the east bank of the Meuse to the village of Douaumont, should be held at all costs. The seizure of ground became the priority and by the end of February, German losses at Verdun were similar to the French casualties. Some 300,000 were killed. The keynote of the tactical plan was a continuous series of limited advances that would draw the French reserves into the mincing machine of the German artillery. The village of Haumont was razed by artillery fire, and by February 23 the villages of Brabant-sur-Meuse, Wavrille, and Samogneux were in German hands. German Gen. Erich von Falkenhayn believed that the war would be won or lost in France, and he felt that a strategy of attrition was Germany’s best hope of achieving its goals. The ancient fortress city of Verdun on the River Meuse was just such a place. Military History Encyclopedia on the Web - Battle of Verdun, Battle of Verdun - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Battle of Verdun - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Uncover the history of the most ferocious battle of World War I, the Battle of Verdun, 1916. At 4am on 21 February 1916 the battle began, with a massive artillery bombardment and a steady advance by troops of the German Fifth Army under Crown Prince Wilhelm. Without France’s ninety-six divisions the Allies would be unable to continue fighting in the west. In late April, General Robert Nivelle took over French command from Petain and began large-scale counter attacks. The Battle of Verdun through June 1916, with a brief look at the civilian life in France at the time. On February 26–29 some 500,000 German troops assaulted Douaumont village, but the French defenses held. French reinforcements being moved to the front during the Battle of Verdun, 1916. There was also terrible fighting for the forts taken by the Germans earlier in the battle before these too fell to the French. Was Italy an ally of Germany in World War I? Of this number 162,308 are dead or missing. It was to make General Philippe Pétain a hero in France. Confronted with a massive logistical challenge—main rail lines to Verdun had been cut or were under constant barrage by German artillery—French officers organized a motorized supply chain on an unprecedented scale, transporting men and matériel to the front in a fleet of more than 3,000 trucks. At about 4:45 pm the first German infantry attack was launched, initially by teams of scouts who surveyed the damage done by the opening barrage. Combat engineers then followed, ahead of the main body of the advance. Never before was industrialisation so visible in war. The battle of Verdun was the biggest mistake of the German Imperial Army in 1916. By the end of May French casualties at Verdun had risen to c. 185,000 and in June German losses had reached c. 200,000 men. The battle of Verdun, beginning as a brilliant German offensive, ended as an offensive victory for the French. The Battle of Verdun was fought between the German Empire and The French Third Republic. His Second Army had artillery superiority and he employed new tactics based on specialist infantry sections armed with light machine guns, rifle grenades, mortars and light field guns. Fought for nearly the entire year, it is the longest battle in human history and one of the bloodiest during World War I. The first Battle of Verdun was fought on 29 August 1792 between French Revolutionary forces and a Prussian army during the opening months of the War of the First Coalition. In early June the Germans took Fort Vaux after very tough fighting. From the Flying Tigers to the Red Baron, experience the Great War in this quiz. The Battle of Verdun was fought during World War I (1914-1918) and lasted from February 21, 1916 until December 18, 1916. Battle of Verdun - Battle of Verdun - The tide turns at Verdun: The preliminaries of the great Franco-British offensive on the Somme started on June 24 with a weeklong artillery barrage. At 7:15 am on February 21, the Germans commenced a massive bombardment of a front some 25 miles (40 km) long, from the Bois d’Avocourt to Étain. They also speak about the Hell of Verdun or the Blood pump. The battle of Verdun was scheduled to start on 12 February 1916, but it was delayed following the bad weather that characterized the battlefield (Foley 2005, 145). It is believed that the British started the Battle of the Somme due to the impact and casualties sustained by the French while fighting the Battle of Verdun. Omissions? Battle of Verdun was fought between German and French armies in 1916 during the First World War. This proved to be their final success. Local command of the operation was given to Crown Prince William, the eldest son of William II. The Battle of Jutland (31 May - 1 June 1916) was the largest naval battle of the First World War. However, it is quite clear that the French High Command had been … On February 24 the Germans sought to advance from their position at Samogneux, but they were immobilized by French artillery. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Battle of Verdun, (February 21–December 18, 1916), World War I engagement in which the French repulsed a major German offensive. The aim was to crush the French army before the Allies grew in strength through the full deployment of British forces. To achieve his aim Falkenhayn needed to target a part of the French front where strategic necessity and national pride combined. That evening the French commander at Verdun, Gen. Joseph-Jacques-Césaire Joffre, the so-called “Victor of the Marne,” was set aside in favour of Gen. Philippe Pétain. It was originally planned by the German Chief of General Staff, Erich von Falkenhayn to secure victory for Germany on the Western Front. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. As communication deteriorated, the French high command realized the seriousness of the attack. Following the establishment of a relatively static front, the heavily fortified area of Verdun remained a formidable salient into German territory.As the war carried on into 1916 and with neither side able to forge a decisive advantage, the German high command began to plan a huge assault on the area, designed to “bleed the French white” and break their morale.French commanders quickly realised that a new approach would be needed to combat the immensely powerful German artillery. German troops made significant gains by the end of the first day, occupying the Bois d’Haumont and penetrating the French lines. In the mo… Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. They should’ve focused their offensive strategy on the Eastern Front where the Russian Army was more vulnerable. It was one of the longest, bloodiest, and most-ferocious battles of the war; French casualties amounted to about 400,000, German ones to about 350,000. The Germans used fla… From the largest naval battle, and the longest battle, to the most painful and infamous battle, and the battle that marked the end of mobile warfare on the Western Front, discover 10 significant battles of the First World War that took place between 1914-1918. The opening of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July, forced the Germans to withdraw some of their artillery from Verdun, which was the first strategic success of the Anglo-French … Exclusive content your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox was set for 12. Over the next 10 days, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica infantry assault on. 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