Prelude Battle of Verdun

1 prelude

1.1 german offensive preparations
1.2 german plan of attack
1.3 french defensive preparations

prelude
german offensive preparations

verdun isolated on 3 sides , railway communications french rear had been cut except light railway; german-controlled railways lay 24 km (15 mi) north of front line. corps moved 5th army provide labour preparation of offensive. areas emptied of french civilians , buildings requisitioned, thousands of kilometres of telephone cable laid, thousands of tons of ammunition , rations stored under cover hundreds of guns installed , camouflaged. ten new rail lines twenty stations built , vast underground shelters (stollen) dug 4.5–14 m (15–46 ft) deep, each accommodate 1,200 german infantry. iii corps, vii reserve corps , xviii corps transferred 5th army, each corps being reinforced 2,400 experienced troops , 2,000 trained recruits. v corps placed behind front line, ready advance if necessary when assault divisions moving , xv corps, 2 divisions, in 5th army reserve, ready advance mop french defence collapsed.

special arrangements made maintain high rate of artillery-fire during offensive,  33 ⁄2 munitions trains per day deliver ammunition sufficient 2,000,000 rounds fired in first 6 days , 2,000,000 shells in next twelve. 5 repair shops built close front reduce delays maintenance; factories in germany made ready, rapidly refurbish artillery needing more extensive repairs. redeployment plan artillery devised, field guns , mobile heavy artillery moved forward, under covering fire of mortars , super-heavy artillery. total of 1,201 guns massed on verdun front, 2 thirds of heavy , super-heavy artillery, had been obtained stripping modern german artillery rest of western front , substituting older types , captured russian guns. german artillery fire verdun salient 3 directions, yet remain dispersed.

german plan of attack

the 5th army divided attack front areas, occupied vii reserve corps, b xviii corps, c iii corps , d on woëvre plain xv corps. preliminary artillery bombardment begin in morning of 12 february. @ 5:00 p.m., infantry in areas c advance in open order, supported grenade , flame-thrower detachments. wherever possible, french advanced trenches occupied , second position reconnoitred, artillery fire on second day. great emphasis placed on limiting german infantry casualties, sending them follow destructive bombardments artillery, carry burden of offensive in series of large attacks limited objectives , maintain relentless pressure on french. initial objectives meuse heights, on line froide terre fort souville , fort tavannes, provide secure defensive position repel french counter-attacks. relentless pressure term added 5th army staff , created ambiguity purpose of offensive. falkenhayn wanted land captured, artillery dominate battlefield , 5th army wanted quick capture of verdun. confusion caused ambiguity left corps headquarters sort out.

control of artillery centralised order activities of artillery , mortars, stipulated corps generals of foot artillery responsible local target selection, while co-ordination of flanking fire neighbouring corps , fire of batteries, determined 5th army headquarters. french fortifications engaged heaviest howitzers , enfilade fire. heavy artillery maintain long-range bombardment of french supply routes , assembly areas; counter-battery fire reserved specialist batteries firing gas shells. co-operation between artillery , infantry stressed, accuracy of artillery being given priority on rate of fire. opening bombardment build , trommelfeuer (a rate of fire rapid sound of shell-explosions merged rumble) not begin until last hour. infantry advanced, artillery increase range of bombardment destroy french second position. artillery observers advance infantry , communicate guns field telephones, flares , coloured balloons. when offensive began, french bombarded continuously, harassing fire being maintained @ night.

french defensive preparations

in 1915, 237 guns , 647 long tons (657 t) of ammunition in forts of rfv had been removed, leaving heavy guns in retractable turrets. conversion of rfv conventional linear defence, trenches , barbed wire began proceeded slowly, after resources sent west verdun second battle of champagne (25 september – 6 november 1915). in october 1915, building began on trench lines known first, second , third positions , in january 1916, inspection general noël de castelnau, chief of staff @ french general headquarters (gqg), reported new defences satisfactory, except small deficiencies in 3 areas. fortress garrisons had been reduced small maintenance crews , of forts had been readied demolition. maintenance garrisons responsible central military bureaucracy in paris , when xxx corps commander, general chrétien, attempted inspect fort douaumont in january 1916, refused entry.

douaumont largest fort in rfv , february 1916, artillery left in fort 75 mm , 155 mm turret guns , light guns covering ditch. fort used barracks 68 technicians under command of warrant-officer chenot, gardien de batterie. 1 of rotating 155 mm (6.1 in) turrets partially manned , other left empty. hotchkiss machine-guns stored in boxes , 4 75 mm guns in casemates had been removed. drawbridge had been jammed in down position german shell , had not been repaired. coffres (wall bunkers) hotchkiss revolver-cannons protecting moats, unmanned , on 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) of explosive charges had been placed in fort demolish it.

in late january 1916, french intelligence had obtained accurate assessment of german military capacity , intentions @ verdun joffre considered attack diversion, because of lack of obvious strategic objective. time of german offensive, joffre expected bigger attack elsewhere ordered vii corps verdun on 23 january, hold north face of west bank. xxx corps held salient east of meuse north , north-east , ii corps held eastern face of meuse heights; herr had  8 ⁄2 divisions in front line,  2 ⁄2 divisions in close reserve. groupe d armées du centre (gac, general de langle de cary) had , xx corps 2 divisions each in reserve, plus of 19th division; joffre had 25 divisions in strategic reserve. french artillery reinforcements had brought total @ verdun 388 field guns , 244 heavy guns, against 1,201 german guns, 2 thirds of heavy , super heavy, including 14 in (360 mm) , 202 mortars, being 16 in (410 mm). 8 specialist flame-thrower companies sent 5th army.

castelnau met de langle de cary on 25 february, doubted east bank held. castelnau disagreed , ordered general frédéric-georges herr corps commander, hold right (east) bank of meuse @ costs. herr sent division west bank , ordered xxx corps hold line bras douaumont, vaux , eix. pétain took on command of defence of rfv @ 11:00 p.m., colonel maurice de barescut chief of staff , colonel bernard serrigny head of operations, hear fort douaumont had fallen. pétain ordered remaining verdun forts re-garrisoned. 4 groups established, under command of generals guillaumat, balfourier , duchêne on right bank , bazelaire on left bank. line of resistance established on east bank souville thiaumont, around fort douaumont fort vaux, moulainville , along ridge of woëvre. on west bank, line ran cumières mort homme, côte 304 , avocourt. line of panic planned in secret final line of defence north of verdun, through forts belleville, st. michel , moulainville. corps , xx corps arrived 24–26 february, increasing number of divisions in rfv  14 ⁄2. 6 march, arrival of xiii, xxi, xiv , xxxiii corps had increased total  20 ⁄2 divisions.