Posted on 02/21/2016 7:38:14 PM PST by abishai
A massive artillery bombardment on the morning of February 21st 1916 signalled the start of the German attack on Verdun, the longest single battle of the First World War. More than 1,200 guns opened fire before German troops began their assault on fortifications of major symbolic inportance to France. Even by the standards of the Great War, the Battle of Verdun was a particularly brutal campaign of attrition, fuelled by the determination of both sides not to give way as the struggle wore on. The battle was to last 300 days, almost until Christmas, on a narrow front stretching no more than 35 kilometres (21 miles). About 60 million shells are estimated to have been fired here during 1916.
Soldiers also had to contend with poison gas and flamethrower attacks, as well as food and water shortages, and weather extremes from heavy snow to summer heat and torrential rain. French troops and supplies had to be funnelled into Verdun along a single road, known as 'La Voie Sacree' (Sacred Way). The 10-month battle cost more than 700,000 French and German casualties (killed, wounded or missing), and forced changes in the military leaderships of both countries.
General Erich von Falkenhayn's motives for launching the Verdun offensive, with an army led by Germany's Crown Prince Wilhelm, are still debated by historians. In his post-war memoirs, the German army chief wrote of his belief that French forces would 'bleed to death' fighting for an area they felt compelled to defend. By the end, German losses were close to those of the French.
Ringed by fortresses, Verdun was a key part of a defensive system aimed at protecting eastern France after the loss of Alsace-Lorraine in the Franco-Prussian War. The initial German attack was directed at the heights above Verdun on the right bank of the River Meuse, and was later extended to the left bank to contain French artillery fire. France suffered a major blow within days, losing the biggest of the Verdun fortresses on February 25th to a raid by a handful of German soldiers.
Fort Douaumont was undermanned, and its firepower had been reduced in 1915 with the removal of many of its guns to support French offensives elsewhere on the Western Front. Such was the alarm that General Philippe Petain, a rare exponent of the defensive, was put in charge at Verdun with orders to hold his ground. Convoys of trucks commandeered from across France shuttled night and day along the 70-km route of the Voie Sacree to keep his armies supplied.
Petain introduced a system of rapid troop rotation to help ease the strain on his men. Three quarters of the French Army passed through Verdun in 1916. 'Ils ne passeront pas' (they shall not pass) is an order often attributed to Petain, but it was issued by his successor at Verdun, General Robert Nivelle, at the height of a renewed German threat in June.
The Germans were forced back on the defensive that summer, under pressure elsewhere from the British-led attack on the Somme and Russia's Brusilov Offensive. By the end of 1916, France had recaptured important positions on the right bank of the Meuse, including Forts Douaumont and Vaux. But the fighting around Verdun lasted until 1918, involving American forces in the Meuse-Argonne offensive during the closing stages of the war.
The Battle of Verdun resulted in shake-ups of both the German and French high commands in 1916. Falkenhayn was dismissed as Germany's army chief in August, but given a new command on the Eastern Front. He was replaced by the duo of Field Marshal Hindenburg and General Erich Ludendorff, victors of the Battle of Tannenberg against Russia in September 1914. Following the autumn successes at Verdun, General Nivelle succeeded Joseph Joffre as French commander-in-chief. His appointment was short-lived, ending amid the failure of an offensive on the Chemin des Dames in the spring of 1917.
Wow, 100 years, that is almost hard to believe.
We were at the battlefield in Augst last year with my daughter (28, professor of math and CS). Sobering.
Across all of the Somme battlefields up to the channel itself, the trench warfare damage and excavations was actually hard to see from ground level - though clear in the photographs from above.
But at Verdun? Shellholes by the hundreds of thousands in every woods, valley, and hillside. Sobering.
As I approach half a century, 100 years ago doesn’t seem very long now.
What happened to the “hero of Verdun”?
That would be Petain. He was hanged for collaboration with the Nazis.
Philippe Petain was sentenced to death for treason, but the sentence was later commuted to life in prison. He died in 1951 while still a prisoner.
I can think of one shrew and half a dozen chickenhawks who need to be marched through there right now so they will shut up about being “tough” with Putin.
Then, they can get a free tour of Hiroshima.
Reagan was a hawk. He was not a war monger. Some of the stuff I hear from these idiots would sicken Dr. Strangelove.
You are correct. I stand corrected.
Verdunkeln is German for “to darken”.
http://youtu.be/4mGOWvT_QWo
I have no doubt WWI started the existential crisis of Europeans, and pride in their civilization was nearly wiped out as a result of WWII. Hence their willingness to surrender themselves to illiterate, inbred, retrograde invaders, who instead of being scorned for their backwardness, are welcomed with open arms.
My understanding is that large portions have been cordoned off due the the enormous amount of UXO.
WW1, the war with the most stupid tactics. Send thousand of men into machine gun and artillery fire and hope some survive to be captured by the other side.
I was there summer of 14 and last summer as well. July in 14 and Aug. in 15. Incredible shell holes remain as you said. Hope you got to visit the Forts and the Memorial. Imprssive.
That would be Petain. He was hanged for collaboration with the Nazis.
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Philippe Petain, the Lion of Verdun, was sentenced t)o death for collaboration with the Nazis (Head of the Vichy Government ) , however his sentence was commuted to life in prison. He died in 1951.
F’ing horrible situation. And thank God we didn’t face this horror.
One of, if not my most, prized possessions is my great grandfather’s ring hand carved from a spent shell that had a simple engraving of “Ypres” upon the brass which he made in the trenches. He was in the Canadian forces (from Scotland)that got the first blast of German gas during the Ypres salient. Pictures to follow if requested.
I am also a bagpiper and play the tunes of the troops from “the great war” and can barely compose myself.
It doesn’t matter what side you were on in “the great war.” It was all f’in horrible.
WWI is another war where technology advanced way ahead of tactics until late in the conflict. The losses of men on all sides was catastrophic.
In the battle of the Somme the British did just that, to force the Germans to transfer troops from the attack on Verdun to the Somme. It worked; despite horrific British casualties (60,000 on the first day), Germany had to divert troops there and the French survived at Verdun.
Today few Westerners want to fight in wars because they know their lives will be thrown away by their governments like that.
My dad was in the Army and we were stationed in Verdun in the mid 60’s. I was 10 to 13 years old when we were there. There were still huge areas around Verdun with the skull and crossbones signs with “Mort” (death) written on them because of unexploded bombs. We lived “on the economy” (not base housing) and I remember digging up clips of unfired ammo (looked about the size of 30.06) from the garden. One of our activities was to drive around in our ‘58 Chevy and collect shrapnel from bombs and artillery that would be exposed after rains.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit Verdun, go see the Trench of Bayonets and Douaumont Ossuary. It’s something that will remain with you the rest of your life.
Except for the machine guns, not much different than Lee’s assault on Cemetery Ridge at Gettysburg, or Grant’s assault at Cold Harbor. Thousands of soldiers lives thrown away for zero results.
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