A French soldier looking at the remains of a leg that still has a boot on during the Battle of Verdun, 1916
A French soldier looking at the remains of a leg that still has a boot on during the Battle of Verdun, 1916. 108 years ago today, the Battle of Verdun, one of the longest and bloodiest battles of World War I, came to an end. The battle lasted for 10 months and resulted in over 700,000 casualties, including some 300,000 killed. The Germans designed Verdun to be a battle of attrition. The German Chief of Staff, General Erich von Falkenhayn, planned to "bleed the French white" and lure them into a battle where they would suffer heavy casualties, hoping to break their will to fight. The Germans targeted Verdun because it was a heavily fortified stronghold, and its fall would be a blow to French morale. Despite extensive German preparations, the French were largely unprepared for the offensive. The initial bombardment allowed the Germans to advance and overrun the first French defensive lines. German forces captured Fort Douaumont, the largest and highest fortification on th...
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