World War I unleashed some of the bloodiest conflicts in human history. The Battle of Verdun ranks right among the worst. The 10 months of fighting from February 21st to December 18th 1916 left over 300,000 troops and many more civilians dead.
In Falkenhayn’s opinion, Britain’s best assets during the war were the French, Russian, and Italian armies. (history.net)
The fortress city of Verdun along France’s Meuse river represented a crucial territory and became a focus of Chief of Staff Erich von Falkenhayn. He hoped striking a heavy blow along the Western Front would overwhelm the Allies and lead the Germans to victory. However, the French dug in and the two sides brutally bludgeoned one another for nearly a year.
“Bleeding France White”
The German chose Verdun hoping "The French would be compelled to throw in every man they have.â€
Many historians believe that Falkenhayn always intended Verdun to become a “meat grinder.” In a missive to Kaiser Wilhelm II, leader of Germany, the Chief of Staff stated that to win the war Germany must inflict so many casualties to force the French into surrender. He hoped that by taking Verdun “the forces of France will bleed to death” in an effort to retake the city. He dubbed his plan “Operation Gericht,” which loosely translates as “place of execution.”
German Preparations
Soldiers in the trenches during the Battle of Verdun. (Roger Viollet/Getty Images)
Through their aerial superiority and utilizing the rugged terrain, the Germans maneuvered a staggering amount of troops and artillery around Verdun. Transporting over 2.5 million artillery shells on thousands of trains put the Axis powers in perfect position to take Verdun. The French, occupied across the country, were mostly unprepared for the attack. Thankfully poor weather allowed them to mount a haphazard defense that saved the fort and garrisons around the city.
Fort Douaumont
Life in the trenches of Verdun was a harrowing experience to say the least.
An example of France’s lack of preparedness came in the loss of Fort Douaumont. Under normal circumstances, Douaumont should have stood as an impregnable fortress. However, only 57 men held the fort and it fell without a single shot being fired. The Germans celebrated a holiday when news came of the victory. It also represented a huge blow to French morale.
Artillery Stalemate
A German 17cm heavy artillery. (Iwm.org.uk)
After the German took a number of outlying towns and French bastions, the two sides settled into an endless bombardment of one another. Of the 800,000 or so total casualties at Verdun, an estimate put 70% of those came at the hands of artillery. The German launched more than 2 million shells in their opening bombardment, more than any single engagement previously. Together both sides launched between 40 and 60 million shells over just 10 months.
“La Voie Sacrée”
Heavy artillery leveled the towns and countryside.
To keep the city of Verdun supplied with food, arms, and troops, the French relied on a single road just 20 feet across. Everywhere else became too dangerous, which made the road one of the single most important factors in the city’s survival. They dubbed it “La Voie Sacrée,” which means The Sacred Way. General Philippe Petain did everything in his power to maintain the road, even laying gravel for repairs in the heat of battle.
Shell Shock
French soldiers in the trenches in Verdun hoping to survive death from above, 1916. (bbc.co.uk)
With such intense artillery fire, maintaining the sanity of the troops became a real concern. As one Frenchman wrote, “I arrived there with 175 men. I left with 34, several half mad…not replying anymore when I spoke to them.” The endless fight literally rendered 9 towns that no longer exist. Beaumont, Douaumont, Fleury, Haumont, Bezonvaux, Cumières, Louvemont, Ornes, and Vaux all can be found on maps but their only remains are the roads leading in and some scattered rubble.
Americans In Verdun
Death could come at any second for the soldiers of Verdun and that tension lasted 10 months.
38 American fighter pilots found themselves in the worst part of World War I. Commissioned in April, 1916, a year before America’s official entrance in the war, many were veterans of the French Foreign Legion. They became famous for their Indian Brave emblems on their planes and two lion cubs named “Whiskey” and “Soda.” The group notched roughly 30 aerial victories, mostly during their five months of service at Verdun.
Today, the Douaumont Ossuary contains the mixed remains of an estimated 130,000 French and Germans troops. It stands as a sobering reminder of the brutality of war.
