The (Hindenburg Line) was a German defensive position in World War I built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front from Arras to Laffaux, near Soissons on the Aisne. In 1916 the Brusilov Offensive had inflicted huge losses on the Austro-Hungarian armies in Russia and forced the German eastern armies to take over more of the Eastern Front. The declaration of war by Romania had placed additional strain on the German war economy and army. The German offensive at Verdun had failed to inflict mass casualties on the French army cheaply and Anglo-French attacks on the Western Front had inflicted serious losses on the German army during the French counter-offensive at Verdun and the joint offensive on the Somme. Construction of the (Hindenburg Line) began in September 1916 and was int