Most Pointless Battle

[screwtype]

Verdun would have to be the one I think. A million casualties in total, distributed equally between the two sides, and hardly a yard of territory gained or lost either way. And all for the capture of a bunch of old forts which had little more than sentimental value.

[screwtype]

Stalingrad would have to be another. An entirely pointless battle at every stage but the last (when holding out ironically became vital to the escape of troops in the Caucasus), fought mainly to assuage Hitler's ego, which chewed up an entire army of 300,000 men which the Germans were never able to replace.

Some of Hitler's late war offensives would also fit the perfectly pointless category, since they were made against impossible odds and only managed to hasten the end for Germany.