How Did a Single Road Save Verdun From Falling in WWI?

When German generals decided on a strategy of attrition to methodically wear down the French Army in the middle of the First World War (1914-18), the Battleof Verdun was the result, an engagement that spiralled out of control and cost both sides much more than they ever imagined. Desperate to hold on to the prestigious fortress complex of Verdun, the French rotated divisions in its defence so that 75% of the nation's army fought in this gigantic struggle. The longest of WWI and one of the deadliest, the Battle of Verdun (February-December 1916), as with so many others in the Great War, resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties but very little strategic gain for either side. The French held out, and Germany was so exhausted in men and material that it could not launch another major offensive until 1918.