Verdun 1914: The Opening Moves

This is the eighth in Christina Holstein’s masterly series of Battleground books on the Verdun area during the Great War, following the usual method of narrative to set the scene accompanied by detailed tours. Christina brings to bear her outstanding knowledge of the ground and her deep understanding of the military issues that faced both sides, aided by her ability to read both French and German sources. The six tours, expanding and developing the narrative chapters, and taking up over 70 per cent of the book, are richly illustrated and the whole is notably well mapped The book focuses on the little-known fighting in the Verdun area in the first weeks of the First World War and the German attempts to overcome that powerful, entrenched camp without a frontal attack. Beginning with the devastating Battle of the Frontiers on 22 August 1914, the author follows the French retreat to the Marne, where their desperate resistance in the Revigny Gap and at Vaux-Marie Farm prevented a breakthrough, whilst Fort Troyon’s refusal to surrender to punishing bombardment stopped a concurrent attack on the French rear. In a second attempt two weeks later, the Germans captured the important town of St Mihiel and established a bridgehead on the River Meuse but got no further; Verdun remained in French hands. Fighting stopped and there was little movement until the start of the Battle of Verdun. Launched on 21 February 1916 to bring the war to an end, it quickly bogged down and three hundred days later the French declared victory over the third and final German assault on Verdun.