World War I, end of 1915. The British and French commanders want to put an end to the carnage by attacking the Germans in the region of the Somme. But these surprise them by triggering a steel storm on February 1916 in the camps near the village of Verdun.

Under the new commander of Verdun, General Pétain, the French army tries to block the invasion. In the Somme, the Allies finally attack on July 1, 1916, but the assault turns into a disaster and put Verdun back at the center of all hopes and concerns. The French army counterattacks and wins the battle. But how many lives were sacrificed?