Around Hill No. 304 and Dead Man’s Hill the fighting was especially severe.  There men died by the hundreds and by the thousands that one of the opposing armies might advance a few yards.  Gains even were counted by feet—­almost by inches.  Gain of a few yards was accounted a day’s work well done.

Not once did the French troops falter under fire; nor did the Germans, for that matter.  Never was there greater bravery, loyalty and devotion.  Called upon for tasks that seemed well nigh impossible, the men did not hesitate.  They met death in such numbers as death was never met before.

Almost daily, after the French had taken a brace three and a half miles from Verdun, it seemed that the Crown Prince must give up the effort.  It appeared incomprehensible that the useless sacrifice of men could continue.  But the attempt was not given up; rather, it was pressed with greater vigor each succeeding day.

But, after five months, the fury of the German assaults gradually lessened.  They were not delivered with the same effectiveness as before.  The great guns continued to rage, scattering death over the field for miles, but the massed attacks of infantry, and cavalry charges, became more uncommon.

Then came a day when the Germans failed to attack at all.  For more than twenty-four hours there was a lull.  Weeks passed with the Germans launching only occasional drives.  The same held good for the French.  It appeared that each side was content to rest on its laurels, biding the time when a grand assault could be delivered with some degree of effectiveness.

The fighting was intermittent.  It came spasmodically.  Each side had fought itself out and had paused for breath.  What advantage there had been, all things considered, rested with French arms.  The losses on both sides, in killed and wounded, had been enormous—­almost beyond comprehension.  The number of prisoners taken by the French was large.  Many French troops also had been captured, but not so many as Germans.  Also, the French having been the defenders for the most part, they had suffered less in killed and wounded than had the foe.

This, then, was the result of the battle of Verdun six months after it had begun.  There had been no decisive victory.  Each side retained its positions, but each was ready to strike whenever the opportune moment presented itself.

Even while the fighting at Verdun was at its height there came the whisper of a grand offensive to be launched by the Allies.  The whisper became louder as the days passed.  There was more talk of Roumania and Greece throwing their armies to the support of the Allies, thus forming a steel cordon around the Central powers and their smaller allies, Bulgaria and Turkey, and forcing the Germans to shorten their lines.  In the eastern war theater the Russians again were on the advance and were pushing the Germans and Austrians hard, threatening for a second time to invade Galicia and the plains of Hungary.  It began to appear that the end was in sight.