Almost 90 years since its conclusion, the battle of Verdun is still little understood. German Strategy and the Path to Verdun is the first detailed examination of this seminal battle in the English language to be based on research conducted in archives long thought lost. Material returned to Germany from the former Soviet Union has allowed for a reinterpretation of Erich von Falkenhayn's overall strategy for the war and of the development of German operational and tactical concepts to fit this new strategy of attrition. By taking a long view of the development of German military ideas from the end of the Franco-German War in 1871, German Strategy and the Path to Verdun also gives much-needed context to Falkenhayn's ideas and the course of one of the greatest battles of attrition the world has ever known.

The Volkskreig in German military thought -- The (re)birth of Ermattungsstrategie -- The short-war belief -- The rise of Stellungskrieg -- Competing strategic visions -- Attack in the East -- Defense in the West -- Verdun : the plan -- Verdun : the execution -- Verdun : the failure.