- 04 -292016
The “hyperbataille” of Verdun, twentieth episode : the city of Verdun, prior to the battle
The city of Verdun made history with the Treaty of Verdun signed in AD 843, the first treaty that divided the Carolingian Empire into three kingdoms. Although this historical event received only a passing mention […]
- 04 -262016
The “hyperbataille” of Verdun, nineteenth episode : mass death
Some 163,000 French soldiers and 143,000 German soldiers were killed during the ten-month of intense combats that took place in Verdun. However, the Battle of Verdun was not any deadlier than other battles that took […]
- 04 -222016
The “hyperbataille” of Verdun, eighteenth episode : the soldiers of Verdun
During the ten-month battle, French and German soldiers lived the same terrible existence through the «Hell of Verdun». Both attackers and counter-attackers were exposed to incessant shelling, hunger, thirst, cold or heat, mud and infestations […]
- 04 -192016
The “hyperbataille” of Verdun, seventeenth episode : gaz warfare
The Germans started their chemical warfare program as early as 1915. It was during the Second Battle of Ypres that during their first chlorine attack on 22 April 1915, the Allies discovered the so-called “vagues […]
- 04 -152016
The “hyperbataille” of Verdun, sixteenth episode : surviving battle injuries
With over 300,000 French soldiers who died in the fighting between August and October 1914, the Great War proved to be a deadly conflict right from the beginning. The increasing number of casualties almost led […]
- 04 -122016
The “hyperbataille” of Verdun, fifteenth episode : air war over Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was also the theatre of an important air war battle. It was an air battle during which air superiority was introduced and that became the first large scale air battle of […]
- 04 -082016
The “hyperbataille” of Verdun, fourteenth episode : the rôle of artillery
The Battle of Verdun begun with a German offensive aimed at crushing the French front-line by an unprecedented massive artillery bombardment. This offensive preluded the more important ones that followed, such as the Battle of […]
- 04 -052016
The “hyperbataille” of Verdun, thirteenth episode : ” the sacred way “
By choosing Verdun, the German General Staff had thoroughly studied the sector and taken into consideration the complete isolation of the encircled city ; its railway network either cut or under a constant artillery fire […]
- 04 -012016
The “hyperbataille” of Verdun, twelfth episode : fort Souville
Fort Souville was situated to the south of Fort Douaumont and to the south-west of Fort Vaux. As part of the Thiaumont-Fleury-Souville ridge, it was the last observation post of French artillery on the right […]
- 03 -292016
The “hyperbataille” of Verdun, eleventh episode : fort Vaux
Built between 1881 and 1884, Fort Vaux was one the fortresses of the Verdun complex and interlocking defensive system constructed by General Séré de Rivières. The dominating position of the Fort over the village that […]
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