Never before or since has there been such a long battle, involving so many men, fought on such a tiny piece of land. There were many attacks and counterattacks; one small village changed hands 16 times. The battle, which lasted from 21 February, 1916 until 19 December 1916 caused over an estimated 700,000 casualties (dead, wounded and missing). About 300,000 died. The battlefield was not even a square ten kilometres. From a strategic point of view, there can be no justification for these terrible losses. The battle lowered into a matter of prestige for the two nations, and started being fought for the sake of fighting and honor, according to German command Paul Von Hindenburg.