Editing Battle of Verdun (section)

====15–17 December 1916====

[[File:French offensive at Verdun, 15 December 1916.png|thumb|{{centre|Second Offensive Battle of Verdun, 15–16 December 1916}}]]
The Second Offensive Battle of Verdun ({{lang|fr|2ième Bataille Offensive de Verdun}}) was planned by Pétain and Nivelle and commanded by Mangin. The 126th Division (General Paul Muteau), [[38th Infantry Division (France)|38th Division]] (General Guyot de Salins), [[37th Infantry Division (France)|37th Division]] (General [[Noël Garnier-Duplessix]]) and the 133rd Division (General Fénelon Passaga) attacked with four more in reserve and {{nowrap|740 heavy}} guns in support.{{sfn|Pétain|1930|p=227}} The attack began at {{nowrap|10:00 a.m.}} on 15 December, after a six-day bombardment of {{nowrap|1,169,000 shells,}} fired from {{nowrap|827 guns.}} The final French bombardment was directed from artillery-observation aircraft, falling on trenches, dugout entrances and observation posts. Five German divisions supported by {{nowrap|533 guns}} held the defensive position, which was {{cvt|2300|m|mi+km|order=flip}} deep, with {{frac|2|3}} of the infantry in the battle zone and the remaining {{frac|1|3}} in reserve {{cvt|10|–|16|km|order=flip}} back.{{sfn|Wynne|1976|pp=166–167}}

Two of the German divisions were understrength with only {{circa| 3,000 infantry,}} instead of their normal establishment of {{circa| 7,000.}} The French advance was preceded by a double creeping barrage, with shrapnel-fire from field artillery {{cvt|64|m|order=flip}} in front of the infantry and a high-explosive barrage {{cvt|140|m|order=flip}} ahead, which moved towards a standing shrapnel bombardment along the German second line, laid to cut off the German retreat and block the advance of reinforcements. The German defence collapsed and {{nowrap|13,500 men}} of the {{nowrap|21,000 in}} the five front divisions were lost, most having been trapped while under cover and taken prisoner when the French infantry arrived.{{sfn|Wynne|1976|pp=166–167}}

The French reached their objectives at [[Vacherauville]] and Louvemont which had been lost in February, along with Hardaumont and [[Louvemont-Côte-du-Poivre]], despite attacking in very bad weather. German reserve battalions did not reach the front until the evening and two {{lang|de|[[Eingreif division|Eingreif]]}} divisions, which had been ordered forward the previous evening, were still {{cvt|23|km|order=flip}} away at noon. By the night of {{nowrap|16/17 December,}} the French had consolidated a new line from [[Bezonvaux]] to Côte du Poivre, {{cvt|2|–|3|km|order=flip}} beyond Douaumont and {{cvt|1|km|order=flip}} north of Fort Vaux, before the German reserves and {{lang|de|Eingreif}} units could counter-attack. The {{nowrap|155 mm turret}} at Douaumont had been repaired and fired in support of the French attack.{{sfn|Holstein|2010|pp=112–114}} The closest German point to Verdun had been pushed {{cvt|7.5|km|order=flip}} back and all the dominating observation points had been recaptured. The French took {{nowrap|11,387 prisoners}} and {{nowrap|115 guns.}}{{sfn|Doughty|2005|pp=308–309}} Some German officers complained to Mangin about their lack of comfort in captivity and he replied, ''We do regret it, gentlemen, but then we did not expect so many of you''.{{sfn|Durant|Durant|1967|p=50}}{{efn|Mangin paraphrased [[Frederick the Great]] after his victory at the [[Battle of Rossbach]] (5 November 1757): "{{lang|fr|Mais, messieurs, je ne vous attendais pas sitôt, en si grand nombre.}}" (But, gentlemen, I did not expect you so soon, in so great number.){{sfn|Durant|Durant|1967|p=50}}}} Lochow, the 5th Army commander and General [[Hans von Zwehl]], commander of XIV Reserve Corps, were sacked on 16 December.{{sfn|Wynne|1976|p=168}}