Our History.
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun started on February 21, 1916. This battle was eventually known as the greatest and lengthiest in the first world war. The attack was started due to the plan by a German Chief, named von Falkenhayn. As he said, his goal was to "bleed France white" by initiating a massive attack on a small area of land that held historic significance to the French. The regioins surrounding Verdun had twenty major forts and fourty smaller ones that protected the eastern border of France for many years.
Falkenhayn believed that since these forts held such sentiment to the French and losing so many of their soldiers in this attack would change the outcome of the war. 140,000 German soldiers started the attack with just over 1,000 guns, all of which were targeted at the Verdun area. On the other hand, the French only had around 30,000 troops to oppose the enemy. The territory only measured to be around eight miles long.
By April, the death toll was around 120,000 men for the Germans, and 133,000 for the French. In July of 1916, the British instigated another battle to counterattack the Germans and relieve the strain of Verdun: the Battle of Somme. At this point, the Germans could no longer afford to continue sending troops to Verdun.
In total, the French casulaties made their way to 400,000 soldiers. The Germans had failedd to bleed France to death. From October to the end of 1916, other battles helped reclaim forts and terrories that they lost previously.
French soldiers resting in a river before heading to Verdun.
