The "wearing-down" battle had begun in earnest.

"Soldiers of Verdun," said Marshal Joffre, in his order of the 12th of June, "the plans determined on by the Coalition are in full work.

It is your heroic resistance that has made this possible.

It was the indispensable condition, and it will be the foundation, of our coming victories." "Germany"-- says M.
Reinach--"during ten months had used her best soldiers in furious assaults on Verdun....

These troops, among the finest in the world, had in five of these months gained a few kilometres of ground on the road to the fortress.