Battle of Verdun

What happened

German General Falkenhayn attacked Verdun (Feb-Dec 1916) seeking to bleed France white. The fortress Verdun was symbolically important to French defense. German artillery bombardment preceded infantry assaults. Combat was brutal; neither side advanced significantly. By December, both armies exhausted. Combined casualties: 700,000+ (French and German). France held the fortress but lost its ability to mount offensive. Germany lost resources needed for Eastern Front. The battle symbolized WWI's futility: massive casualties for no strategic gain. Neither side won; both lost.

Why it mattered

Verdun confirmed that trench warfare and industrial attrition would characterize WWI. The battle's 10-month duration showed wars would be prolonged grinding campaigns, not quick victories. Verdun's casualties influenced Germany's decision for unrestricted submarine warfare (seeking quick victory at sea). The French government fell partly due to Verdun's losses; General Pétain was promoted as 'hero of Verdun,' though he would later collaborate during WWII. Verdun's trauma shaped French pacifism and fear of Germany (influencing Maginot Line strategy in WWII). French resilience at Verdun became a founding myth of French resilience, though it masked the catastrophe. Modern French-German reconciliation partly stems from overcoming Verdun's enmity.