Battle of Verdun

battle_name=Battle of Verdun

Casualties

In the mathematics of the war, it was crucial that the smaller and more slowly increasing populations of the Central Powers inflict many more casualties on their adversaries than they themselves suffered. At Verdun, Germany did inflict more casualties on the French than they incurred—but not in the 2:1 ratio that they had hoped for. Verdun brought the French to the brink of collapse, but it did not push their forces over the edge.

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France's losses were appalling, however. It was the perceived humanity of Field Marshal Philippe Pétain who insisted that troops be regularly rotated in the face of such horror that helped seal his reputation. The rotation of forces meant that 70% of France's army went through "the wringer of Verdun", as opposed to the 25% of the German forces who saw action there. The loss of life and effect on morale stretched the French army to the very edge of mutiny, but mutiny was avoided by promises by the French army leadership that they would no longer engage in costly offensives.

Related Topics:
Field Marshal - Philippe Pétain

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France's army was subsequently plagued not with desertions, but rather with a general refusal to march face-first into the teeth of German defensive positions. France's troops remained in their trenches, willing to fight only in a defensive capacity.

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