Verdun was the site of a major battle, the longest-lasting of the First World War. One of the costliest battles in military history, Verdun exemplified the policy of a war of attrition pursued by both sides, which led to an enormous loss of life and very long casualty lists.

The Battle of Verdun, 21 February-15 December 1916, became the longest battle in modern history. It was originally planned by the German Chief of General Staff, Erich von Falkenhayn to secure victory for Germany on the Western Front.

The Battle of Verdun (21 February - 18 December 1916) was the longest battle of the First World War. It was also one of the costliest. It began in February 1916 with a German attack on the fortified French town of Verdun, where bitter fighting would continue for most of the year.

In a memorandum, he declared that Germany must bleed France white. The goal was not to take Verdun -- on the contrary. It was, quite simply, to take as many lives as possible. French lives, of course, though Falkenhayn was indifferent to German lives.