Verdun



The Battle of Verdun was one of the various major battles during World War 1. It was a battle that took place between the 21st of February and the 18th of December. This battle between the German and French armies was fought on the mountainous terrain north of the city of Verdun in north-eastern France. This battle is considered by historians as a tactical victory for the French but also viewed as a costly stalemate in terms of casualties and other conclusive details. The German High Command failed in its two objectives: 1.The capture of the city of Verdun 2. Inflicting heavy casualties on the French compared to its own casualties. The French Second Army managed to push the German Army back towards the end of the battle but not as far as the initial German starting lines of February 1916 around Verdun.

Overall, the Battle of Verdun resulted in 163,000 French and 143,000 German deaths with an addition of at least half a million soldiers wounded in total. Statistically, this means that an average number of 30,000 combatants of both nations were being killed at Verdun every month for ten consecutive months. Verdun was the longest battle and one of the most devastating in the First World War and generally, in human history. Verdun was dominated by artillery, with statistics of about 40 million artillery shells being exchanged by both sides. Until now, the damage of these artillery shells is still visible. The Battle of Verdun has become a representative for the horrors of war similar to the Battle of the Somme to the United Kingdom.The Battle of Verdun is further popularized by General Robert Nivelle's order, 'They shall not pass"), a translated version of the actual French text //"Vous ne les////laisserez pas passer, mes camarades//" ("You will not let them pass, my comrades". However, the speech betrays the problems of command he had to face at the time which in several occasions, consisted of indiscipline among the French army. This rebellion would recur throughout the period of the battle especially following the failure of the Nivelle Offensive in April 1917.

By James Yen with reference to []