Germany Captures Fort Douaumont

German forces captured Fort Douaumont—the largest and most formidable of the Verdun forts—with minimal resistance on February 25, just four days into the battle. The fort had only a skeletal garrison of 56 men and fell almost without a fight, causing shock in France. The capture became a major propaganda victory for Germany and a humiliation for France. It was eventually recaptured by France on October 24, 1916 in a meticulously planned counterattack.