Battle of the Somme

What was the Battle of the Somme?

The Battle of the Somme was fought by British and French forces against the Germans. It was part of an offensive to force the Germans back and achieve victory on the Western Front.

When was the Battle of the Somme?

The battle took place from 1st July, 1916 to 18th November, 1916.

Where was the Battle of the Somme?

It took place on the River Somme in France, where the British and French armies met.

Why was the Somme Offensive launched?

It was part of an offensive to force the Germans back and achieve victory on the Western Front. It was also launched to help relieve pressure on the French, who were under attack at Verdun to the south.

What were the consequences of the Battle of the Somme?

The battle had 4 key outcomes;

• ❖ On the first day of the battle there were up to 57,000 British casualties compared with the Germans' 8,000. Haig continued the attack and, by November, casualties numbered 620,000 for the Allies and 450,000 for the Germans.
• ❖ At most, the Allies advanced by 15km along just part of the Western Front. The expected breakthrough never occurred.
• ❖ However, the Germans called off their attacks at Verdun, saving the French army there.
• ❖ The Allies developed new technology (the tank) and tactics (the creeping barrage), which contributed to victory later.

Why was the Battle of the Somme unsuccessful?

The battle is seen as an Allied failure for 3 main reasons:

• ❖ The Germans knew the attack was coming due to aerial reconnaissance. They moved away from the front line into strengthened trenches, some as deep as 12 metres.
• ❖ In the week before the attack, 1.73 million shells were fired at the German lines. However, they were not effective in destroying German dugouts or cutting the barbed wire. Additionally, over a third of those shells fired were 'duds' and failed to explode.
• ❖ Following the bombardment of shells, General Haig told soldiers to advance slowly towards the enemy trenches. He believed they would be undefended; but they were not, and heavy casualties occurred.