It seems likely that Falkenhayn did not specifically design the battle to bleed the French army but used this supposed motive after the fact in an attempt to justify the Verdun offensive, despite its failure. His army commanders at Verdun, including the German Crown Prince, denied any knowledge of an attrition strategy. No copy has ever surfaced and the only account of it appeared in Falkenhayn's post-war memoir. Recent scholarship by Holger Afflerbach and others, however, has questioned the veracity of the Christmas memo. The logic of initiating a battle not to gain territory or a strategic position but simply to create a self-sustaining killing ground-to bleed the French army white-pointed to the grimness of military vision in 1916. Once the French army had bled to death, Britain could be brought down by Germany's submarine blockade and superior military strength. As Falkenhayn recalled it, his so-called Christmas memorandum to Kaiser Wilhelm II envisioned a massive but limited attack on a French position 'for the retention of which the French Command would be compelled to throw in every man they have'. Falkenhayn argued that Britain, hidden behind the shield of the French army, could be met head on and defeated only after this shield was broken. In the winter of 1915–1916, German General Erich von Falkenhayn, the chief of the German General Staff (1914–1916) made plans for a large offensive on the Western Front that ultimately aimed to break Great Britain, which he believed was Germany's main enemy. One of the costliest battles of the war, Verdun exemplified the policy of a " war of attrition" pursued by both sides, which led to an enormous loss of life.įollowing the failure of the Schlieffen Plan in 1914 and the solidifying of the Western Front, Germany remained on the strategic defensive in the west throughout most of 1915. Verdun was the site of a major battle of the First World War. They made us show our passports it being a fortified town. Verdun is famous for its sweetmeats, sugar plums, confits etc. Though there is little to see at Verdun, every part of it felt interesting from the number of our countrymen confined here during the war. The citadel and are a good deal out of repair and were at work on them. The River Meuse runs through the town and forms several canals and ditches round the town which is fortified and, I believe, by the great Marshal Vauban. Verdun is prettily situated in a valley surrounded by hills. Norwich Duff visited Verdun in 1819, shortly after the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars. The Battle of Verdun was fought on Augbetween French Revolutionary forces and a Prussian army. Įarly map of Verdun, circa 1695 Battle of Verdun (1792)
This consisted of a mutually supporting ring of 22 polygonal forts up to 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the city, and an inner ring of 6 forts. Shortly afterwards, a new system of fortification was begun. In the Franco-Prussian War, Verdun was the last French fortress to surrender in 1870. During the Napoleonic War, the citadel was used to hold British prisoners-of-war. Despite the extensive fortifications, Verdun was captured by the Prussians in 1792, but abandoned by them after the Battle of Valmy. Although much of his plan was built in the following decades, some of the elements were not completed until after the Napoleonic Wars. In 1670, Vauban visited Verdun and drew up an ambitious scheme to fortify the whole city. The Bishopric of Verdun formed together with Tull (Toul) and Metz the Three Bishoprics, which were annexed by France in 1552 (recognized in 1648 by the Peace of Westphalia).įrom 1624 to 1636, a large bastioned citadel was constructed on the site of the Abbey of Saint Vanne.
#Verdun pronunciation free#
Verdun was part of the middle kingdom of Lotharingia, and in 1374 it became an Imperial Free City of the Holy Roman Empire. Less controversially, the city has been famous for Dragées or sugared almonds from 1200 onwards they were distributed at the baptism of French princes. In the Treaty of Verdun in AD 843, the empire of Charlemagne was divided into three parts.Īt around this time Verdun was the centre of a Europe-wide thriving trade selling young boys to be enslaved eunuchs to the Islamic emirates of Iberia. It has been the seat of the bishop of Verdun since the 4th century AD, with interruptions.
Verdun (Latin language: Verodunum, meaning "strong fort") was founded by the Gauls (as its Celtic name shows "Dunum" is the Latinized version of a Celtic word meaning oppidum).
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