The Battle of Verdun

1
The Battle of Verdun

• 1916

2
Main features
Huge casualties 420 000 German
casualties 540 000 French
casualties. Why?
3
Weapons and technology

• huge numbers of artillery used by both sides
• artillery on German side extremely modern and
  effective
• weapons could be brought very quickly to the
  front for BOTH sides.

4
Tactics

• A switch of tactics by the German partway through
  the campaign
• large numbers of troops used as bait by Germans
• tactics switched to breakthrough methods.

5
Communications

• poor communication between artillery and troops
• telephones unreliable due to high levels of
  shelling
• runners, spotter planes etc destroyed very easily
  by artillery.

6
Terrain and weather

• poor weather delayed initial planned attack by
  Germans
• terrain made progress even slower
• cold weather made trench conditions even more
  difficult.

7
Aims of the commanders

• aims of the German commanders
• aims of the French commanders.

8
The German plan of attack

• German views on relative strengths of opposition
• attrition
• German preparations plans to crush French
  frontline completely with a massive artillery
  bombardment.

9
French perspective

• perceived unimportance of Verdun as a military
  fort.

10
How typical was Verdun of major battles during
the war?

• Similarities
• troops used
• casualties
• tactical inflexibility/unsuitability.

11

• Differences
• attrition
• artillery
• terrain.