Paul Jankowski (1) (1950–)

Verdun will go down in history as the slaughterhouse of the world
--American ambulance driver, Verdun

Verdun: The Longest Battle of the Great War by Paul Jankowski is an account of a single battle lasting almost the entire year of 1916. Jankowski is a history professor at Brandeis University outside of Boston, Massachusetts. His writing centers on modern French history including the Stavisky Affair, political scandals, and Simon Sabiani.

The German advance through France ended at the First Battle of the Marne. The Schlieffen Plan stalled with unexpected resistance of the Belgium army and overextended of supply lines. Although railroads allowed for increased supplies, the sheer number of troops and need heavy ammunition could not be maintained. Russia's quick mobilization and Britain joining the war in defense of Belgium were also not expected. Once the German advance was stopped both sides dug into a standoff which characterized the war: Trench Warfare.

Verdun was a battle between France and German and two very different plans. The Germans brought in heavy artillery that lobbed shells over obstacles to their targets. The gunners, many times, never saw their target and relied on spotters to direct fire, either forward observers or balloons and aircraft. This strategy worked well against the French defense of fortresses that were not able to stand up to heavy attacks. The French chose lighter artillery that was intended mostly as an anti-personnel weapon and used direct fire opposed to the German's indirect fire. All told 44 million shells were fired that year in Verdun including chemical weapons being fired from both sides.

The battle was also a battle of generals. Marshal Joseph Jacques Cesaire Joffre lead the French. He was made famous in the Battle of the Marne for regrouping retreating troops and making a stand and holding the German advance. His plans at Verdun were to wear out the Germans. France lost so many troops in battle that the original plan to have 40 divisions for the Somme, was reduced to 14 divisions. Germany was lead by Erich von Falkenhayn. Falkenhayn plan was to bleed the French white. He failed to seize the offensive when it was open and after a year of fighting the trench lines remain little changes. Flakenhayn expressed progress by comparing the number of dead French to dead Germans as a ratio of his success. Both generals were replaced after Verdun. 300,000 were killed at Verdun with casualty estimates ranging from 600,000 to 1,000,000.

Jankowski presents a very fact heavy book with almost a quarter of the book as source reference. There are interesting facts laced through out the book. On the subject of mutiny and desertion, a German study found a much stronger relation to desertion based on bad weather than on combat. Also what was to be done with 300,000 dead? Men were dying on an average of 1,000 a day. The French although losing the battle in casualties claim the holding of Verdun with much pride. A German source is noted as saying the battle of Verdun was over June 15, 1940, after the French surrender. Perhaps the entire war may be summarized by a single paragraph from Jankowsi:

With success so elusive and failure so costly, reason might dictate that the Germans suspend their initiative, or the French moderate their response. Why ten months and more of debilitating attacks and counterattack, why the losses that irreparably weakened each national protagonist, just to return each side to its original lines?

Verdun is being released for the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I. Although a century old, the war has plenty of valid lessons for today. There are no quick and easy wars. Romanticized ideals of nationalism and answering the call of duty quickly turn into doubt as the reality of war sets in. There has been hardly a war a country enters into without copious popular support and hardly a war that ends without doubt, protest, and unpopularity at home. Jankowski gives a well researched and clearly written account of one of the major battles in WWI. Highly recommended for World War I historians.
… (mer)

A las siete de la mañana del 21 de febrero de 1916 el suelo empezó a temblar en el norte de Francia. Durante las siguientes diez horas más de mil doscientos cañones alemanes barrieron un pequeño saliente de las líneas francesas. La inmensidad de las explosiones colapsó casamatas, arrasó trincheras, cortó las líneas de comunicación y volvió locos a los hombres. Cuando el bombardeó cesó las tropas alemanas comenzaron a avanzar entre los cráteres de obuses. La batalla de Verdún comenzaba. Diez meses y 300.000 muertos después la carnicería aún continuaba. Paul Jankowski—uno de los estudiosos de la historia de Francia más prestigiosos del mundo—nos trae el relato definitivo de la batalla más famosa de la Primera Guerra Mundial. En sus páginas nos descubre los motivos alemanes para atacar Verdún que no tenía ningún valor estratégico. Analiza la lógica infernal que condujo a los dos beligerantes a perpetuar en el tiempo aquella sangría sin sentido. Busca entre los testimonios de los soldados franceses y germanos conductas heroicas, los sufrimientos indescriptibles, los odios, las revueltas…Nos descubre finalmente cómo esta batalla se ha convertido en el símbolo de los horrores de la Gran Guerra.… (mer)