The battle unleashed by German general Erich Von Falkenhayn in February of 1916 was extraordinary, in that his only gaol was purely to kill and not to capture ground. The fighting promoted acts of incredible heroism but also promoted slaughter on a terrifying scale. Coming close to nearly one death per minute, day and night for the battles entire 10 month duration.

With this Verdun quickly became a symbol of the French will to resist and what happened there determined the course of World War I. Nearly 100 years on and for many French men and women Verdun still has an iconic significance but what baring does it have on that titanic struggle which looms so large in British history, the Battle of the Somme. Without understanding one it is impossible to understand the other and in this film we delve into the inner workings behind both battles.