Battle Of Verdun Research Paper

The Battle of Verdun was the most important battle of World War 1 from February 21 to December 18, 1916. German and French Forces employed industrial warfare tactics and the use of heavy artillery through the initial attack and French counter-fire. The Battle of Verdun resulted in more than a quarter of a million deaths and approximately half a million wounded. Verdun was the longest battle and one of the bloodiest in World War I. In both France and Germany, it has come to represent the horrors of war, similar to the significance of the Battle of the Somme in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. (New World Encyclopedia, 2016). We can trace the battles climax and preparation back to letters sent back and forth between the German Chief …show more content…
He reasoned that if France could be defeated in a major set-piece battle Britain would in all likelihood seek terms with Germany, or else be defeated in turn. (Firstworldwar.com, 2009). The reason for such a fight during this time was the advantages that Verdun held for centuries. This also gave way to the Germans to in using heavy artillery during the invasion against the fort using “Big Bertha”. For centuries, Verdun had played an important role in the defense of its hinterland, due to the city's strategic location on the Meuse River. Attila the Hun, for example, failed in his fifth century attempt to seize the town. In the division of the empire of Charlemagne, the Treaty of Verdun of 843, made the town part of the Holy Roman Empire. The Peace of Munster in 1648, awarded Verdun to France. Verdun played a very important role in the defensive line that was built after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. As protection against German threats along the eastern border, a strong line of fortifications was constructed between Verdun and Toul and between Épinal and Belfort. Verdun guarded the northern entrance to the plains of