Primary Source Document

Erich Ludendorff on the Battle of Verdun

Verdun from the viewpoint of general strategy was well chosen as the place for our attack; for Verdun was a particularly threatening starting-point for a French counterassault.  It very seriously threatened our main line of railroad communication with Germany.
This was disastrously proved by the attack launched from there in the fall of 1918.  Had we been able to drive the French wholly from the east bank of the Meuse, our victory would have been complete, as this would have materially strengthened our position along the whole western front.
The first days of the Verdun assault were very successful, made so by the brilliant qualities of our men.  The advantage, however, was insufficiently exploited and our advance soon came to a standstill.
At the beginning of March the world was still under the impression that the Germans had won a victory at Verdun...
Verdun had exacted a very great price in blood.
The position of our attacking troops grew more and more unfavourable.  The more ground they gained, the deeper they plunged into the wilderness of shell-holes, and apart from actual losses in action, they suffered heavy wastage merely through having to stay in such a spot, not to mention the difficulty of getting up supplies over a wide, desolate area.
The French enjoyed a great advantage here, as the proximity of the fortress gave them a certain amount of support.
Our attacks dragged on, sapping our strength.  The very men who had first fought so heroically at Verdun were now terrified of this shell-ravaged region.
The command had not their hearts in their work.  The Crown Prince had very early declared himself in favour of breaking off the attack.  That offensive should have been broken off immediately it assumed the character of a battle of attrition.
The gain no longer justified the losses.
Source: Source Records of the Great War, Vol. IV, ed. Charles F. Horne, National Alumni 1923



In this document, Erich Lundendorff explains in detail the order and method regarding the battle of verdun.

Political Cartoon

Overview

The Battle of the Somme was known for its one day record of most deaths and/or casualities in history. The battle was planned as an attack on the French and the British. The french commander in cheif main goal was to drain german forces of their reserves, and his second intention was to gain larger territory.

The Battle of Verdun symbolized for the french and fortified their armed forces and soliditary of the entire nation.

Street Report

I cant even believe how many of those damn rats i shooed off today. i hate using my bullets to kill them but sometimes there isnt much else of a choice. They're so big and so disgusting, thes sight of one makes me want to head for the hills. The really scary thing is, everytime they mate, theres about 900 of em.

The really disgusting thing is, you can be walking along the trench not a care in the world and you'll see one of them damn cats feasting on a dead man. You see it happening so much it doesnt even phase you anymore, and thats the point i was scared of reaching. Theres two types of rats you see around the trenches; the brown and the black. They both are horrible and who wants a cat size rat roaming around, but the brown ones are the nasty little guys. if i were to pick which one i wanted hanging around, i can tell you it wouldnt be the brown... i do whatever i can to get rid of them things. i dont have no souls for these little creatures running around anymore. I have a feeling these rats are going to be here for however long this god-forsaken war continues. If i even live to see it end...