Battle of Verdun
Part of the Western Front of the First World War
A French trench in north-east France
Date 21 February–18 December 1916 Location Verdun, France Result French victory
Belligerents
France	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Philippe Pétain Robert Nivelle	Erich von Falkenhayn Crown Prince Wilhelm
Strength
75 divisions (1,140,000 soldiers)	50 divisions (1,250,000 soldiers)
Casualties and losses
542,000.-400,000; 163,000 of those died.	434,000.-355,000; 143,000 of those died

The Battle of Verdun was a battle of the First World War. It started when the German Fifth Army attacked French positions, near Verdun, on February 21, 1916. It ended on December 18 of that year but the front line had not changed very much. Both sides lost about 337,000 soldiers each. Never before was industrialisation so visible in war. They also speak about the Hell of Verdun or the Blood pump. The Battle of Verdun is considered the biggest and longest in world history.