Battle Of Verdun

The Battle of Verdun was one of the bloodiest battles in World War I. What sets it apart from other battles is the brutal tactics that were used by the German army against the French. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers fought through hazardous conditions with artillery raining down on them constantly. This type of warfare is unmatched by the battles and wars that are fought today. This is mostly due to the vast differences in technology and weaponry. The fighting armies back then didn’t have the ability for fast communications and effective reconnaissance to assist their ground troops in coordinating effective attacks and counter-offensives.
The Battle of Verdun started with Chief of the German General Staff, Erich von Falkenhayn’s goal to
Vietnam was an actual war, not just a singular battle such as Verdun, therefore, it lasted much longer. The campaigns and battles fought during the Vietnam War lasted from a couple of years to several months with the war itself lasting nearly two decades (“Operation Rolling Thunder” 2010). Operation Rolling Thunder was planned as a bombing campaign against North Vietnam. The first round of the bombs were dropped in March of 1965 and lasted until late 1968. This operation produced three years of continuous bombing on the North Vietnamese in hopes of crippling their ability to wage war against the US and South Vietnam (“Operation Rolling Thunder” 2010). This is nearly identical to what was done to the French at Verdun. One of the differences is that the Germans wanted to drain France of their soldiers, while capturing Verdun was secondary. Without any kind of public eye looking at Verdun, both sides were free to carry out necessary actions to gain victory. The Vietcong used the dense jungle to transport small arms, munitions, and soldiers to the front line of the war. One of the trails that the Vietcong heavily used during the war was the Ho Chi Minh Trail, which consisted of multiple routes as well as fake trails to confuse the United States and other enemies. It was vital that the U.S. destroy the hidden trails in order to prevent more weapons from being transported (Trueman, “Ho Chi Minh Trail”). Cutting off the enemy’s supply lines are top priority in any kind of war or battle. One of the main reasons why the Battle of Verdun lasted almost a year and was able to use an excessive amount of amunitions was that both sides had stable supply lines deploying necessary troops to the front lines. Instead of trenches, Vietnam had a dense jungle that offered a source of great camouflage for the Vietcong and hindered the United States ability to