General Joseph Joffre, the commander-in-chief of the French army during the early stages of the war, was a strong advocate of attrition warfare. He believed that by launching massive frontal assaults against German lines, the French could overwhelm the defenders and achieve breakthroughs. However, this strategy proved costly and ineffective, resulting in significant casualties for the French army without making substantial progress.
French commanders also employed attrition tactics in other theaters of the war, such as the Gallipoli Campaign and the Battle of the Somme. These battles were marked by intense and prolonged trench warfare, with both sides suffering heavy losses in attempts to gain ground.
While attrition warfare could be effective in wearing down the enemy, it also came at a high human cost. The French suffered millions of casualties during the war, and the relentless pursuit of attrition tactics contributed significantly to this toll.