(Hare on the first month 19), February 21, 1916, the Battle of Verdun began. shelling of



Verdun town
1916 of year, (history TodayOnHistory.com) German high command decided to shift its strategic focus westward movement, the German Chief of the General Staff Law Kam Hon against target famous fortress of Verdun in France.
Verdun protrusion of the front of the British and French armies, it was like a protruding sharp teeth, a serious threat to the depth northern France, the German flank. Germany, France, had repeatedly played against, but the Germans were unable to seize the fortress. If the Germans can one stroke to win the morale of Verdun, bound to a heavy blow to the French army. Occupied Verdun, will open up the channels of the Germans towards Paris, occupied Paris, the French would not attack the self-destruction of the rest of the British, and Russian armies surprising. Began in January 1916, the law Kim Han quietly compiled and troops ready to attack Verdun, Germany blatant to send more troops to Hong Beni, made in Hong Beni offensive posture.
French army commander-in-chief Xiafei really fooled. Since 1914 the German inability to overcome Verdun shift the direction of attack, the Frenchman is considered the Verdun fortress outdated, Xiafei stop strengthen the fortress in 1915. At a time when the Germans moved to Hong Beni action Xiafei exception vigilance he believes the German attack, and then to Hong Beni into Paris from here.
However, the German Verdun direction continue to quietly compiled and troops. As compiled and signs of is gradually obvious and exposed, the British and French troops got to know the true intentions of the Germans. Safilo panicked, rushed ordered more troops to Verdun. February 21, only two divisions rushed to Verdun. This day, the Germans began to attack Verdun.
the German artillery regiment of heavy artillery bombardment of the the Verdun fortress, then launched the assault. The prelude to the Battle of Verdun opened. The Germans 1000 artillery such as Thunder general bombarded with, turns to the assault of a wave after wave.
Verdun fortress commander Petain commanding defenders and reinforcements to the army desperately resistance. But reinforcements rushed to the scene only two divisions, together with his two divisions, a total of only four divisions, the first day the Germans advanced six kilometers. But finally hold the position. (TodayinHistory.cn)
fighting hard for the French army. Germans have 27 divisions, 1,000 artillery pieces, while the French army of 100,000, and 270 pieces of artillery. But whatever the outcome, count withstood the German attack. Be French reinforcements arrived, the two sides began a tug-of-war.
Germans did not in the previous day winning Verdun, has lost fighters both in troops to Verdun, laid them fight to the death battle. Fierce fighting in April, the troops of the French army and the Germans fairly. German, foreign crusades by the crown prince, and the first use of poison gas bombs. But the German offensive of the French army will continue again and again to stop before the fortress. In July, the Germans launched a last spurt, but still being detained by the French army to withstand, to the fall of the French army began to counterattack.
Battle of Verdun Germany and France put nearly 2 million troops, a total of over seven hundred thousand casualties. Germans in a battle that is exhausted strength. Counterattack after the start of the French army, successive regained large tracts of land to the east of Verdun, the German retreat. To 1917, the German and Austrian camp into decline, finally defeated and surrendered in 1918, the end of World War I, then.
Battle of Verdun decisive battles and the turning point of World War I, the Germans failed to achieve it to win the the Verdun outflank the plan of Paris South, exhausted troops and then could not find a way out, and ultimately failed.
stationed in Verdun, a French soldier, wearing gas masks, to withstand poison gas attacks