MrLloyd George and the war . by the fortress of Verdunand the fortifications which surround it. The general public hadalways considered that these fortifications constituted one of thestrongest positions in Europe. But as early as July in 1915 oneof the numerous commissions, which had been appointed by theFrench Chamber to visit various parts of the front, had expressedthemselves as dissatisfied with the state of affairs which theyhad found there. Their reports had soon afterwards beenstrengthened by a similar report made by Colonel Driant, thedepute for Nancy, who held a command in the neighb
MrLloyd George and the war . by the fortress of Verdunand the fortifications which surround it. The general public hadalways considered that these fortifications constituted one of thestrongest positions in Europe. But as early as July in 1915 oneof the numerous commissions, which had been appointed by theFrench Chamber to visit various parts of the front, had expressedthemselves as dissatisfied with the state of affairs which theyhad found there. Their reports had soon afterwards beenstrengthened by a similar report made by Colonel Driant, thedepute for Nancy, who held a command in the neighbourhood,and who, in December 1915, had represented to the Army Com-mittee of the Chamber that the defences of Verdun were insuffi-ciently organised. These facts having been brought to theattention of General (iallieni, a formal correspondence (whichcan be read in full in M. Mermeixs Joffre) had followedbetween him and General Joffre in December, in the course ofwhich General Joffre had informed Gallieni, that although in the. a 13 en<; o O S ^^ ap^owo O ^ S o o1-1 5 H <;O o :^ FIRST STEPS TOWARDS A UNIFIED COMMAND 153 region of Meurthe, Toul, and Verdun, the network of trencheswas not so complete as was the case in the greater part of thefront, the fulfilment of the orders given by him for the organisa-tion of the defensive positions, had been constantly inspectedby the commanders of the different armies and group of armiesunder the supervision of the officers of his staff. This explana-tion had been accepted by General Gallieni, and the correspon-dence had been closed by his assurance to General Joffre that the Government had full confidence in him, a confidence whichhad been proved in a signal manner by placing him in commandof the French armies on all the fronts ; and that the wish of theGovernment to be informed of the position of their armies fromall points of view was not to be taken as implying any want ofconfidence in him. It would seem, however, that after this c
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