First Offensive Battle of Verdun

Battle of Verdun
Part of the Western Front of the First World War
Map of the battle
Date 21 February – 18 December 1916 (9 months, 3 weeks and 6 days) Location Région Fortifiée de Verdun (RFV) Verdun-sur-Meuse, France 49°12′29″N 5°25′19″E / 49.20806°N 5.42194°E / 49.20806; 5.42194Coordinates: 49°12′29″N 5°25′19″E / 49.20806°N 5.42194°E / 49.20806; 5.42194 Result French victory
Belligerents
German Empire	French Republic
Commanders and leaders
Erich von Falkenhayn Crown Prince Wilhelm Schmidt von Knobelsdorf Ewald von Lochow Max von Gallwitz Georg von der Marwitz	Joseph Joffre Noël de Castelnau Fernand de Langle de Cary Frédéric-Georges Herr Philippe Pétain Robert Nivelle Adolphe Guillaumat Auguste Hirschauer Charles Mangin
Strength
c. 50 divisions	75–85 divisions
Casualties and losses
336,000–434,000 casualties c. 143,000 killed	379,000 casualties 163,000 killed 216,000 wounded

336,000–434,000 casualties

379,000 casualties

The Battle of Verdun (Bataille de Verdun, IPA: [bataj də vɛʁdœ̃], Schlacht um Verdun, IPA: [ʃlaxt ˀʊm ˈvɛɐdœŋ]), fought from 21 February to 18 December 1916, was the largest and longest battle of the First World War on the Western Front between the German and French armies. The battle took place on the hills north of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France. The German 5th Army attacked the defences of the Fortified Region of Verdun (RFV, Région Fortifiée de Verdun) and those of the French Second Army on the right bank of the Meuse. Inspired by the experience of the Second Battle of Champagne in 1915, the Germans planned to capture the Meuse Heights rapidly, because this was an excellent defensive position with good observation for the artillery to bombard Verdun. The Germans hoped that the French would commit their strategic reserve to recapture the position and suffer catastrophic losses in a battle of annihilation, not costly for the Germans because of their tactical advantage.

Poor weather delayed the beginning of the German attack until 21 February, but the Germans enjoyed initial success, capturing Fort Douaumont in the first three days of the offensive. Afterwards the German advance slowed, despite many French casualties. By 6 March, ​20 ¹⁄₂ French divisions were in the RFV and a more extensive defence in depth had been constructed. Pétain ordered that no withdrawals were to be made and that counter-attacks were to be conducted, despite exposing French infantry to fire from the German artillery. By 29 March, French artillery on the west bank had begun a constant bombardment of German positions on the east bank, which caused many German infantry casualties.

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