The Battle of Verdun

The Battle of Verdun (Feb-Dec 1916) was World War I's longest and one of its bloodiest battles, a German offensive designed to "bleed the French white" by attacking the symbolically crucial fortress town of Verdun, resulting in horrific attrition with nearly a million casualties and devastating conditions in the trenches.

France ultimately held Verdun, repelling the German attack, but both sides suffered immense losses in a symbol of trench warfare's brutal futility, with the French regaining most lost ground by the end. 

In this presentation, Christina Holstein, who is a renowned expert on the battle, will describe to us the industrial warfare, intense artillery, gas attacks, and brutal close-quarters combat that took place in a landscape of mud and shell craters, earning it nicknames like "The Furnace".

Members and non-members of The Western Front Association are equally welcome. Any new visitors are guaranteed a friendly atmosphere and a warm welcome from a group of like-minded enthusiasts.