Clash of Warriors — Season 1, Episode 15: Petain vs von Falkenhayn - Verdun

Episode synopsis

Desperate to break the stalemate on the Western Front in 1916, Germany's army chief-of-staff, Erich von Falkenhayn, conceived a diabolical plan — by attacking one of France's most symbolic towns, he would draw her army into a bloodbath, and bleed it to death. At first this seemed to be working all too well, for more than six months the battle raged, with more than three-quarters of the French army going in to defend Verdun and suffering dreadfully. But the Germans had not allowed for the courage of the ordinary French soldlers, or the steadfastness of their commander, Philippe Petain.

About Clash of Warriors

A documentary on some of the key campaigns and battles of the 20th century, seen as a match-up between the two sides' commanders. We see the strategies, tactics, personality traits and events that made one commander victorious.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1Patton vs von Kluge - Normandy Breakout
• E2Bradley vs Model - Battle of the Bulge
• E3Stilwell vs Honda - Burma
• E4Rommel vs Montgomery - El Alamein
• E5Alexander vs von Arnim - Tunisia
• E6Halsey vs Kurita - Leyte Gulf
• E7Manstein vs Vatutin - Kursk
• E8Vandegrift vs Hyakutake - Guadalcanal
• E9Harris vs Kammhuber - Strategic Bombing
• E10MacArthur vs Yamashita - Philippines
• E11Dayan vs Amer - Six Day War
• E12Eisenhower vs Rundstedt - D-Day