Les Grandes Batailles de Verdun [The Great Battles of Verdun]

whole: the image occupies the majority and is held within a black border. The title is separate and positioned along the top edge, in black. The text is positioned along the top edge and bottom edge, in black and red. All held within a red border and set against a white background. image: an aerial view of the Lorraine region, illustrating the Battle of Verdun. The various forts of this area are depicted, as well as the Meuse River and the town of Verdun. The Woëvre region is depicted further in the background. Biplanes fly through the sky overhead, including a burning German biplane. text: LES GRANDES BATAILLES DE VERDUN AVOCOURT - MORT-HOMME - BETHINCOURT - BOIS DES CORBEAUX - FORGES - BRABANT SUR MEUSE - CÔTE DU POIVRE - DOUAUMONT - FORT DE DOUAUMONT - VERDUN - VAUX [Map has various place names] AVOCOURT MALANCOURT MORT-HOMME COMBATS et ASSAUTS MARS AVRIL 1916 BETHINCOURT FRONT DU 4 et 5 MARS CUMIÈRES - BETHINCOURT 6 au 13 AVRIL 1916 FORGES et BOIS DES CORBEAUX 6 et 8 MARS BRABANT SUR MEUSE ASSAUTS 22 FÉVRIER 1916 PERTE DU BOIS DES CAURES 23 FÉVRIER 1916 ÉVACUATION DE BRABANT 24 FÉVRIER 1916 VACHERAUVILLE VAUX-DAMLOUP FRONT du 25 FÉVRIER ASSAUT DE SAMOGNEUX 24 FÉVRIER 1916 CÔTE DU POIVRE 25 FÉVRIER FORT DE DOUAUMONT 28 FÉVRIER AU 5 MARS DOUAUMONT VILLAGE 3 AU 5 MARS VERDUN BOMBARDEMENT LE 20 et 21 FÉVRIER DÉFENSE DE VAUX 27 FÉVRIER IMP. MARCEL PICARD - PARIS [The great battles of Verdun. Combats and assaults in March - April 1916. Bethincourt Front of 4 and 5 March. Cumières, Bethincourt - 6 to 13 April 1916. Forges and Bois des Corbeaux - 6 and 8 March. Brabant sur Meuse - Assaults 22 February 1916. Loss of Bois des Caures - 23 February 1916. Evacuation of Brabant - 24 February 1916. Vacherauville Vaux-Damloup Front of 25 February. Assault of Samogneux - 24 February 1916. Côte du Poivre - 25 February. Fort de Douaumont - 28 February to 5 March. Douaumont village - 3 to 5 March. Verdun - bombardment on 20 and 21 February. Defence of Vaux - 27 February. Marcel Picard, Printers - Paris.]

The Battle of Verdun was the most extended battle of the First World War. From February to December 1916, the French defended the fortified town of Verdun against repeated German attacks. Although it was not strategically important, the French regarded Verdun as vital to morale and national pride: it had been a French military base since Roman times, and was the last fortress to fall to the Prussians in the Franco-Prussian War. During the course of the battle 259 of the French army's 330 infantry regiments had been involved. French counter-attacks eventually pushed the Germans back to where they had started, and the Kaiser's new Chief of Staff, Paul von Hindenburg, called off the attack. There were very heavy casualties on both sides, and it is estimated that between 250,000 and 500,000 men died at Verdun.

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