8. The initial attack caught the French by surprise.
The German preparations for the battle involved large buildups of men and equipment. Nearby villages were evacuated and activities camouflaged. Long-range rifles were set up to keep the French from bringing reinforcements. The soldiers constructed new roads and railways, assembled heavy concrete bunkers, and stockpiled more than 1,200 artillery pieces. 1300 ammunition-trains brought an astounding amount of ammunition of 2.500.000 shells. Ten divisions of 150,000 men in total were brought at first. The Germans spent more than 7 weeks preparing for the Battle of Verdun and they did it right under the noses of the French.
The French were largely unaware of all the German preparations along the front lines. The poor weather and rugged terrain helped to hide the actions of the Germans and the French were bolstered by the fact that Verdun had largely been untouched thus far in the war. Many of the weapons and battalions that were meant to guard Verdun were sent to other areas as the fortified city was left alone by the Germans. The French High Command did not expect the Germans to attack that particular part of the front. Commander-in-chief Joffre even went as far as to say “Verdun is not a possible target.” So the defense, weapons and troops at Verdun were neglected. When it became clear that a battle was going to happen at Verdun, pleas for reinforcements were slow to be answered.