The Battle of Verdun

1
1916

• The Battle of Verdun
• The Battle of Somme

2
Battlefield Verdun
3
The City Verdun (France)

• Was a symbol of Frances Power.
• Strongest city in France had 19 forts with lots
  of guns.

4
Germans Plan

• February 1916 the Germans bring 1400 big guns.
• The Germans sent over 2 million shells at the
  city and forts.
• Then they attacked the French trench lines.
• The French Generals and Politicians argue over
  saving the city of Verdun.

5
German Troops
6
The French Stay to Fight

• The politicians tell the Generals to stay and
  fight.
• The French only had one road to get all the
  supplies into Verdun, called the Sacred Way.
• The battle lasted 5 months. The French saved
  Verdun but at a major cost.
• 315,000 French troops died and the city
  destroyed.
• The Germans lost 282,000 men and failed to break
  the western front.

7
French Troops
8
Somme Battlefield
9
The Battle of the Somme

• British and French divisions started a offensive
  along the River Somme.
• They bombed the Germans for 5 days with little
  impact. (Germans had know for weeks)
• After the bombardment the British sent 200,000
  men over the top on July 1st 1916.
• The Germans were prepared, 58,000 British men
  were dead or wounded the first day.

10
(No Transcript)
11
More men

• The British General (Haig) kept sending more and
  more men. Thinking the more people we attack
  with the better the results will be.
• BAD IDEA!!!!
• The British did gain 15km, it cost them 620,000
  men.
• The Germans suffered heavy casualties as well.
  450,000 Germans died.