But the situation at Verdun, which stretched over 10 months, was dire. Even with the revised strategy, Haig had wanted to wait until the end of summer to begin his efforts in the battle of the Somme and give his forces more time to train and prepare. By some accounts, Haig had preferred not to attack on the Somme at all but instead planned to attack in Flanders later in the same year.Д«ut because of FranceвЂ™s heavy losses strategies had to be changed.

Robert Hunt Library/Windmill Books/UIG via Getty imagesД«ritish General Sir Douglas Haig, who was in command of the British Expeditionary Force, launched the joint British and French attack on the Somme river months ahead of his preferred plan because of the precarious state of the French army at Verdun. By the end of the battle, more than one million soldiers would be killed or wounded from the fight and the British would ultimately fail to make much ground, but it would at least spell the beginning of the end to the Great War. The Somme offensive lasted for four months and would become both one of the brightest and darkest times in British military history. Then in July of 1916, British General Sir Douglas Haig joined forces with French commander General Joseph Joffre to launch a major Franco-British combined counter-offensive known as the Battle of the Somme with the hopes of retaking lost ground. The long and deadly gridlock had prompted leaders from the allied nations to come together for several conferences to coordinate their efforts and work together to finally end the war and defeat the Germans. Most of that time was spent in a stalemate between enemies. Yet fighting continued around Verdun until 1918.By the end of 1915, World War I had consumed the globe for nearly one and a half years.

There were more than 700,000 victims вЂ“ 305,000 killed and missing and 400,000 wounded (approximately), with almost identical losses on both sides. The 1916 battle ended after ten months of bitter fighting. It was empty вЂ“ the Germans had already left.ДЇrom 15 to 18 December, the French attacked again, retaking almost all the land they had lost since 21 February. On 24 October 1916, they recaptured Fort Douaumont and, a few days later, they entered Fort Vaux. In the autumn of 1916, the French counter-attacked. The Germans tried to capture the town one last time, on 11 and 12 July, but they failed again. On 1 July, the British and French launched a major offensive on the Somme, relieving some of the pressure being put on the French troops by the Germans in Verdun. In all, some 4,000 trucks, 2,000 cars, 800 ambulances, 200 buses and numerous vans passed along it.ДЇrom 6 March 1916, the Germans also attacked on the left bank of the River Meuse yet despite furious fighting on Le Mort-Homme in March and April they were unable to breach the French front line.ДЄt the end of June, having taken Fort Vaux, they launched a massive attack which failed вЂ“ but only just. He increased the volume of traffic along the Bar-le-Duc to Verdun road, later known as the вЂњSacred WayвЂќ, the only route taking men and munitions up to the battlefield. General PГ©tain then took command of the troops. Despite heavy shelling, the French infantrymen (known as вЂњ PoilusвЂќ) clung on to their positions and the Germans were unable to advance any further. The French High Command was anxious to retake the fort because of its dominant position high above the battlefield. During the first few days, the Germans breached the French front lines and captured Fort Douaumont without a fight on 25 February 1916.

1st battle of verdun