The results of the Chantilly conference

The Allies agreed to launch three offensives on three fronts, in the west in France, in the east in Russia against the Germans and in Italy against the Austrians. The dates were not specified; it was indeed too early to decide on the dates of the offensives when all the armies had to rebuild after the battles of 1915 and the losses they had caused! Joffre, however, felt that the first operations should be launched in March 1916. The principle of unity of action ("the concordance of attacks" says the final draft of the conference minutes) was nevertheless retained and at the beginning of 1916, the staffs and the politicians met, often in Paris, to complete what we would now call the work of planning. Indeed, we will see the Russians launch an offensive in June 1916, the Italians in August on the Austro-Hungarian front and the Franco-English on the Somme on July 1st. We will see that the Germans will disturb this beautiful order by attacking at Verdun!