World War One started in the summer of 1914 and, after steady advances of the German army toward France and Belgium, the front line became very static for a long period of time. Major battles were fought, often for the gain of very limited territory. Over 300,000 men died in the Verdun battle alone, which lasted from February to December 1916.
The British and their dominions were very involved in the Westernmost part of the front, helping the Belgian to cling to a tiny spec of land and being involved in major battles in Northern France, most notoriously the Somme and Vimy. The French Army held the Eastern part, from the Aisne River (home to the Chemin des Dames Battle) to the Swiss border, including a small advance into German-held Alsace. The Allies victory in 1918 led to France regaining Alsace and Moselle, regions that had been transferred to Germany in 1871, and Belgium was provided a sliver of land in the East.
The Western Front in 1916
