The heavy rain poured ceaselessly, each drop like a bullet falling from the sky, fiercely striking the ground. Rainwater mixed with mud and blood flowed across the positions, forming small streams that trickled into the trenches.
In the trenches, soldiers from both sides were locked in a chaotic melee, so tangled in the mud that it was impossible to distinguish friend from foe.
Bayonets, rifle butts, shovels, even rocks and teeth were used—anything that could kill the enemy became a weapon.
The German Army consisted mostly of battle-hardened veterans, well-trained and holding a numerical advantage in the trenches.
The French Army, however, took advantage of the aftermath of grenade explosions to charge in before the Germans could react. They would fire a bullet first before engaging in hand-to-hand combat, seizing the initiative both in tactics and equipment.
