Major Battles of World War 1
These battles exemplify the war's unprecedented scale and horror.
Battle of the Marne (1914)
What: German advance on Paris halted by French and British forces.
Outcome: Germany failed to knock France out quickly. Both sides dug in.
Why it mattered: Created the Western Front stalemate that lasted four years.
Battle of Verdun (1916)
What: German strategy to "bleed France white" by attacking a fortress France would defend at any cost.
Duration: 10 months (longest single battle of WW1).
Casualties: ~700,000 combined (roughly equal on both sides).
Outcome: French held. Germany also bled.
Battle of the Somme (1916)
What: British offensive to relieve pressure on Verdun.
First day: 57,470 British casualties — the bloodiest day in British military history.
Total casualties: ~1 million over 141 days.
Gains: 6 miles.
Battle of Passchendaele (1917)
What: British offensive in Belgium.
Conditions: Rain turned battlefield into impassable mud. Men and horses drowned.
Casualties: ~500,000 combined for 5 miles.
Spring Offensive (1918)
What: Germany's last gamble to win before American troops arrived in strength.
Initial success: Broke through Allied lines, advanced 40 miles.
Outcome: Allies counterattacked. Germany's offensive exhausted its remaining strength.
Hundred Days Offensive (1918)
What: Allied final push, using tanks, aircraft, and fresh American troops.
Outcome: German lines collapsed. Armistice signed November 11, 1918.
Related Reading
Listen to the Full Course
Study the Great War in World War 1: Complete Guide.