[4] General Victor-Constant Michel, Vice-President of the Supreme War Council and commander-in-chief designate, later claimed that Dubail had privately agreed with his plans to deploy reservists in the front line and to adopt a more defensive war plan; however Michel had to resign when no senior general backed him.

He called for reinforcements and heavy artillery and the new Allie tanks for the Verdun sector, but the French commander-in-chief, Joseph Joffre, wasn't convinced that an attack was imminent.

When the German offensive began at Verdun, Joffre partly blamed Dubail, who was fired in March 1916, publicly humiliated.

He claimed to have been made a scapegoat for Joffre's lack of foresight, although he had himself public played down the likelihood of a German attack at Verdun.

[citation needed] Dubail was hired again in April 1916, becoming military governor of Paris, a position he kept until June 1918, when he was replaced by General Guillaumat.