![]() In an attempt to hide their losses, the French public was not immediately told about the fall of Douaumont by the government.Only 56 elderly part-time gunners were manning it. German soldiers were surprised at the little resistance they got from the huge fort of Douaumont, which was considered to be the most powerful fort in the world. 10,000 French soldiers were captured by the 25th of February. Germany advanced the eight miles needed to capture Verdun thanks to a large number of flamethrowers. The attacks continued and the subsequent battle lasted for more than 300 days.He said: “Men were squashed, cut in two or divided from top to bottom, blown into showers, bellies turned inside out, skulls forced into the chest as if by a blow from a club.” The impact of these artillery guns was retold by one French soldier who managed to survive. On the 21st of February, when the battle started, 1,000 German artillery guns fired on a six-mile line along the French front.On the other side, the French only had 30,000 troops to fight off the Germans. These numbers were the largest in history up to that point. The German air force also provided some more firepower as they had 168 planes located in the area. In the Verdun region, they had 1,200 artillery guns that were equipped with 2.5 million shells and had 1,300 ammunition trains to supply these guns. The attack was started by 140,000 German troops.Senior officers at the fort complex around Verdun complained about these problems but the French army rejected their complaints. Trenches that the French had dug to defend themselves had not yet been completed. For instance, all the forts that Germany targeted for ammunition had been moved to the Western Front by the French High Command. The positives of this plan outweighed the negatives.Germany viewed France as an easy opponent and that they were the ones who would suffer the most in terms of the number of casualties. Falkenhayn’s plan had one major weakness, however.If they do so, the forces of France will bleed to death.” Within our reach, there are objectives for the retention of which the French General Staff would be compelled to throw in every man they have. ![]() A mass break-through – which in any case is beyond our means – is unnecessary.
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