Transcription: Third phase, French reinforcement, February 24th to March 9th. Up until February 23rd, Joseph Jaffre and the whole of the French high command had been convinced that the action against Verdun was just a ploy designed to cover a far more massive attack in Flanders. But they now realized that they had underestimated the danger. On the evening of February 24th, General Philippe Petain arrived in Verdun under orders to defend the city at all costs. At the same time, numerous reinforcements began to arrive. These were able to check the German advance on a line of defense that ran along the heights ...
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