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Which countries fought at the Battle of Verdun?

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French soldiers in uniform rest and eat on a grassy field behind the front lines during the Battle of Verdun in World War I, with gear and rifles stacked nearby. — Battle of Verdun French soldiers resting away from the front line at the Battle of Verdun, 1916.

The Battle of Verdun was a major engagement of World War I fought between the forces of France and Germany.1

Lasting from February 21 to December 18, 1916, the battle was initiated by a German offensive intended to wear down the French army through a strategy of attrition. The conflict centered on the Verdun fortress region, where French troops successfully repulsed the German advance after months of intense combat.123