Battle of Verdun | Wikipedia audio article
Channel: wikipedia tts
Date: 2019-06-26

This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Verdun


00:03:39 1 Background
00:03:47 1.1 Strategic developments
00:08:31 1.2 iRégion Fortifiée de Verdun/i
00:11:57 2 Prelude
00:12:05 2.1 German offensive preparations
00:14:29 2.2 German plan of attack
00:17:17 2.3 French defensive preparations
00:22:16 3 Battle
00:22:24 3.1 First phase, 21 February – 1 March
00:22:36 3.1.1 21–26 February
00:28:40 3.1.2 27–29 February
00:30:00 3.2 Second phase, 6 March – 15 April
00:30:11 3.2.1 6–11 March
00:32:43 3.2.2 11 March – 9 April
00:37:13 3.3 Third phase, 16 April – 1 July
00:37:24 3.3.1 April
00:41:45 3.3.2 4–24 May
00:42:51 3.3.3 22–24 May
00:48:27 3.3.4 30 May – 7 June
00:50:05 3.3.5 22–25 June
00:51:59 3.4 Fourth phase 1 July – 17 December
00:52:32 3.4.1 9–15 July
00:54:13 3.4.2 1 August – 17 September
00:55:24 3.4.3 20 October – 2 November
00:58:33 3.4.4 15–17 December 1916
01:01:55 4 Aftermath
01:02:04 4.1 Analysis
01:15:22 4.2 Casualties
01:23:47 4.3 Morale
01:25:44 4.4 Subsequent operations
01:25:53 4.4.1 20–26 August 1917
01:28:59 4.4.2 7–8 September
01:30:41 4.4.3 Meuse–Argonne Offensive
01:32:01 5 Commemoration
01:35:38 6 See also
01:35:55 7 Notes



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SUMMARY
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The Battle of Verdun (French: Bataille de Verdun [bataj də vɛʁdœ̃]; German: Schlacht um Verdun [ʃlaxt ʔʊm ˈvɛɐ̯dœ̃]), was fought from 21 February to 18 December 1916 on the Western Front. The battle was the longest of the First World War and took place on the hills north of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France. The German 5th Army began by attacking the defences of the Fortified Region of Verdun (RFV, Région Fortifiée de Verdun) and those of the French Second Army on the right (east) bank of the Meuse. Inspired by the experience of the Second Battle of Champagne in 1915, the Germans planned to capture the Meuse Heights, an excellent defensive position with good observation for artillery-fire on Verdun. The Germans hoped that the French would commit their strategic reserve to recapture the position and suffer catastrophic losses in a battle of annihilation, at little cost to the Germans, dug in on tactically advantageous positions on the heights.
Poor weather delayed the beginning of the attack until 21 February but the Germans captured Fort Douaumont in the first three days of the offensive. The German advance slowed in the next few days, despite inflicting many French casualties. By 6 March, ​20 1⁄2 French divisions were in the RFV and a more extensive defence in depth had been constructed. Pétain ordered that no withdrawals were to be made and that counter-attacks were to be conducted, despite the exposure of French infantry to German artillery-fire. By 29 March, French artillery on the west bank had begun a constant bombardment of German positions on the east bank, which caused many German infantry casualties.
In March, the German offensive was extended to the left (west) bank of the Meuse, to gain observation of the ground from which French artillery had been firing over the river. The Germans were able to advance at first but French reinforcements contained the attacks short of their objectives. In early May, the Germans changed tactics again and made local attacks and counter-attacks, which gave the French an opportunity to attack Fort Douaumont. Part of the fort was occupied until a German counter-attack ejected the French and took many prisoners. The Germans tried alternating attacks either side of the Meuse and in June captured Fort Vaux. The Germans continued towards the last geographical objectives of the original plan, at Fleury-devant-Douaumont and Fort Souville, driving a salient into the French defences. Fleury was captured and the Germans came within 4 km (2.5 mi) of the Verdun citadel.
In July 1916 ...