Verdun Battle

WW1
By: Felicia Leibbrand

The preparations before the Battle of

Verdun (December 1915 - 12 February
1916)
The German army
had to march right
through Belgium in a
large curve and then
encircle and defeat
the French army, as
well as allied
England, with its
rightwing.

 In 1915 almost everyone,

however, was convinced
that the war would be
over soon. Attempts were
made to move the front
and try to force a final
breakthrough. England
attacked in Neuve
Chapelle, Aubers Ridge,
Festubert, Ypres and in
Loos.

The beginning of the battle

The attack on Verdun (the
Germans code-named it
'Judgment') came about
because of a plan by the
German Chief of General
Staff, Von Falkenhayn.
He wanted to bleed
France white by
launching a massive
German attack on a
narrow stretch of land
that had historic
sentiment for the French.

The German offensive (21 Feb. - 2

March)
The attack on Verdun
was originally planned
on Saturday 12
February. On the night
of the 11th /12th of
February the German
troops were placed in
position. The German
infantry was waiting in
their 'stollen',
thousands at a time,
for the starting signal.

Battle Days

Monday morning 21
February 7.15. The heaviest
bombing that had thus far ever
taken place in a war starts
over the entire Verdun front on
the left and right side of the
river Meuse and had a frontal
latitude of 40 kilometres.

Tuesday - 22 February. The

fierce shootings start again, if
possible even more intense
than the day before.

Despite the crisis

situation in Verdun, the
French headquarters
receive positive
information; the German
offence is supposed to
be weakening and
counterattacks would be
made.
In the evening the chief
of the central army
group, general Langle
de Cary, calls and
delivers a very
pessimistic report.

Friday - 25
February. The
battle rages on and
the French
withdraw,
sometimes
uncoordinated and
panicking, further
and further.
The forts
entrances are
poorly defended,
because the
French troops are
withdrawing

Fort Douaumont in 1915 before Battle of

Verdun
The conquest of the
Douaumont fortress has
some immediate
consequences on the
battlefield. The 37 African
Division which is responsible
for the defence of the line
between Champneuville,
Vacherauville and the village
of Douaumont, expect the
German army to break
through, now that Fort
Douaumont has fallen and
that they will be cut of from
Verdun by a pincer
movement.

Monday - 28 February. The

next day the fights continue. The
remainders of the 105th Saxon
infantry regiment has to march
on, even though they are being
fired at from two sides by French
machine guns that fire just a
small distance from the ground.
An eye-witness: ...the soldiers
fell over like tin soldiers. Almost
all our officers get hurt or killed
and many of our men get killed
because of their own artillery fire,
which is too close and therefore
causes many victims...

 It is clear that the attack on

Verdun is stagnating. The
same conclusion is
reached by the German
headquarters in Stony.
Measures are being
contemplated. General
Ptain has reached his
goal for now: The German
attack has been put to a
halt and the French army
even gained more than the
necessary 2 to 3 days.

March
Wednesday - 8 March.
Early in the morning,
however, the French
launch a counterattack
with great zeal. The
Germans have not
consolidated their
conquered positions and
at the ending of the
morning the Bois des
Corbeaux becomes
French territory again.

 Tuesday - 14 March.
Again a massive German
attack is launched at Le
Mort-Homme but the
advancing main force is
taken under fire by the
French with enormous
power. They are firing
from the nearby Cte 304
where a large French
concentration of artillery
is situated.

Cte
From the Cte 304 the
French prevent the
Germans from installing
their artillery lines and
observation posts,
because of their artillery
fire from cable balloons
and aero planes. It is
almost impossible for the
German infantry to dig
themselves in; their
positions are barraged
day and night.

 Thursday - 9 March.
In the morning the
German 64th Infantry
Regiment is ordered
to occupy the Bois
Fumin, situated next
to the fort, because
Fort Vaux had
supposedly already
fallen into German
hands.

 In the meantime Fort

Douaumont has become
the basis for all German
activities in the frontline,
against the Bois de la
Caillette, the Thiaumontline and later against
Fleury. The munitions
depots are situated here,
wounded can receive
medical attention and the
provisioning of all front
troops are initiated from
Fort Douaumont.

 This French counter

attack is
commanded by
General Mangin,
who halfway through
the battle
announces to the
world that the fort
has fallen into the
hands of the French;
a message that has
to be recalled later.

 The reserve troops do

not appear and neither
do the supplies; there
is an immense lack of
ammunition, food and
drink.
The German attack on
the left wing fails. The
German troops are
fired at with such force
that they cannot leave
Fort Vaux.

 Thursday- 17 August.
The French attack
again, without result,
near the Fleury and
Thiaumont-fortification.
On Sunday 3
September the
Germans make a
small progress in
gaining ground in the
area of the Nez de
Souville.

In The End
Places named streets
after the battle in
memory of it.
Thousands of people
had passed away in
that time period cause
of the battle.

Left in memory for the men who fought in the Verdun battle

Work Cited
http://www.wereldoorlog1418.nl/battleverd
un/index.htm#battle05