The Battle of Verdun February 21st, 1916 to December 18th 1916 by Brendan Emch, Meghan Horn, Joshua Antonio, and Thuy Quevedo

Thesis The Battle of Verdun was the single longest battle in WWI, signifying the frivolous nature of the war, due to the leviathan amount of casualties and the triviality of the means reaching the end goal.

Causes German Chief of General Staff von Falkenhayn wanted to take Verdun, a French region containing sixty forts. Falkenhayn knew that since Verdun was the pride of France, they would fight to the last man to protect it. Falkenhayn hoped that a massive French defeat would turn the course of the war in the Triple Alliance’s favor.

Battle Overview French generals moved supplies from Verdun to the Western Front, leaving it short on ammunition. Verdun trenches were not completed by the time of the German attack. Germany began the attack on February 21st, 1916 with 140,000 troops, 1,200 artillery guns, and 168 planes. The French only had 30,000 soldiers stationed in the region.

Battle Overview German artillery bombarded the forts and captured 10,000 prisoners within four days. The main French fort, Douaumont, fell easily. Its capture was not revealed to the French public for fear of public humiliation. The French General Philippe Petain led 90,000 soldiers to Verdun along the single road to the region. The reinforcements led to a lengthy spring campaign, each side losing over 120,000 troops.

Battle Overview The Germans launched one last attack in June; it faltered once again. The battle continued into October, as the French recaptured two key forts. The Germans finally retreated on December 18th, 1916 after losing 340,000 men. The French lost 360,000.

Battle Map French forces were continually pushed back past the original defence line. The loss of territory included several main forts, like Douaumont and Vaux. French reinforcements gradually reclaimed lost land over time, including the key forts.

Consequences The French lost approximately 360,000 men The Germans lost approximately 340,000 men Germany spent enormous amounts of resources. Germany’s goal of causing disproportionate numbers of casualties failed. The battle directly led to the firing of Erich von Falkenhayn as the Chief of the General Staff; consequently Paul von Hindenburg became the new Chief. Most importantly, the French morale was boosted! The victory was considered a symbol of French determination to hold their ground despite the complete surprise of the assault and the massive loss of life in the battle.

Historical Significance The Battle of Verdun was the single-longest battle of WWI. The battle caused major casualties on both sides. There were 360,000 dead on the French side and 335,000-340,000 dead on the German side. It was the main reason the British initiated the Battle Of Somme, due to the amount of pressure Germany placed on France. After the battle, the French general, Philippe Petain, was a war hero as the forts of were crucial in military strategy and boosting morale for the war efforts. Additionally, the German defeat crushed war morale, despite the casualties inflicted on France. As a result, Germany fired the man in charge, General Falkenhayn. Many historians consider this battle to be one of the largest of the war due to it’s length and casualty numbers. The spectre of Verdun stretched beyond the victory of 1918 and would weigh on French minds when the Germans invaded once more in 1940.

Works Cited http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/battle_of_verdun.htm http://online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=150531&itemid=WE53&articleId=248889 "The Battle of Verdun". HistoryLearningSite.co.uk. 2014. Web.v http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-battle-of-verdun# http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/maps/maps_verdun.html https://globalhistory3.wordpress.com/effects/ http://www.wereldoorlog1418.nl/battleverdun/index.htm#start