The Battle Of The Somme Offensive - 1840 Words

The Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, was a battle of the First World War. The battle was fought by the armies of the British and French empires against the German Empire, including Australia who came to support the â€Å"mother county†. It took place between 1th July and 18th November 1916 on both sides of the River Somme in France. It was one of the largest battles of World War I, in which more than 1,000,000 men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history. (Wikipedia, 2015) The Somme offensive was planned in December 1915 and was intended as a joint French-British attack. The French Commander in Chief, General Joffre, conceived the idea as a battle to reduce the German empire s strength and effectiveness through continual attack and create a distraction for the Germans to relieve some of the pressure for the French, although territorial gain was a secondary aim. (Firstworldwar.com, 2009) For a number of months, the French had been taking severe losses at the Battle of Verdun (which took place at the east of Paris). In order to take German pressure off the French, the Allied High Command attacked the Germans north of Verdun therefore requiring the Germans to move some of their men away. (Toor, 2014) The plan was agreed upon by the new British Commander in Chief, Sir Douglas Haig and by the British government, who granted authorisation to conduct the offensive. (Firstworldwar.com, 2009) TheShow MoreRelatedEssay about Battle of the Somme 1184 Words   |  5 PagesThe Battle of the Somme epitomizes the harsh realities of trench warfare for the Allies and represents the negligent battle planning and technological advancements that are associated with the stalemate of World War One. Trench warfare was common across the Western Front, with similar strategies being employed by both opposing sides. Sir Douglas Haig, one of the British coordinators for the Somme offensive is blamed with an offensive strategy destined for failure. The British offensive, an utterRead MoreThe Battle of Somme Essay1498 Words   |  6 PagesThe British launched The Battle of the Somme to achieve two objectives. The first and most important goal was to relieve pressure on the French Army at Verdun, and the second was to inflict as heavy a loss as possible on the German Armies. The Battle of the Somme had to be fought to save the French Army from the crucifixion of Verdun. The head of the Fre nch Army, General Fock, and some leading British commanders did not believe this battle would help, but political masters in London and Paris supportedRead MoreWhy the Battle of the Somme is Regarded as a Great Military Tragedy801 Words   |  4 PagesWhy the Battle of the Somme is Regarded as a Great Military Tragedy On 1st July 1916, General Haig prepared the battle plan for an offensive on German lines, designed to relieve the strain on French forces at Verdun and break through a strong line of German defences. While Haig would have preferred an attack further north, he was hopeful that the operation should be successful in drawing forces away from Verdun and killing as many German troops as possible as part of Read MoreMilitarism, Nationalism, And The Start Of The Alliance System1360 Words   |  6 Pagesmiles away from the capitol Paris. Under the command of Joseph Joffre the allied troops confronted the invading German forces and launched a successful attack in the first battle of the Marne. The defeat of the German forces in that battle meant the end of the German plans for a quick victory over the French. Shortly after the battle ended, the Germans and the allies dug into trenches on opposing sides, singling the beginning of the bloody trench warfare that lasted for three years on the Western frontRead MoreThe Battle Of The Somme1285 Words   |  6 PagesThe Battle of the Somme, World War One was a major stalemate caused not only by the poor trench system, but the leadership decisions, weather conditions, diseases and sicknesses among the troops and the technology used. Although these factors all contributed to the stalemate, the strong and harsh technology was the biggest attribute . World War One began on the 28th of July and lasted until the 11th of November 1918. It was named ‘The Great War’ or ‘The War to End All Wars’ because of the huge amountRead MoreLions Led by Donkeys1630 Words   |  7 Pagesof what happened at the Battle of the Somme? INTRODUCTION In 1916 witnessed the commencement of the battle of the Somme. Through the course of that one battle, a million British men were slaughtered compared to the combined number of American casualties in both the first and Second World War. The Battle of the Somme was planned as a joint French and British operation, approved by Haig. However, the German attack on Verdun in February 1916 turned the Somme offensive into a large-scale BritishRead MoreThe Battle Of The Somme1103 Words   |  5 PagesQuetext About Widget FAQ Contact How was the Battle of the Somme significant to the British in World War 1? The Battle of the Somme was significant to the British in World War 1 because the British started and ended the battle, there were horrific casualties as a result of this Battle and it led to many lessons being learnt. The Battle was started by the British on the 1st July 1916 and ended on the 18th November 1916. Throughout the Battle, many smaller battles took place the most significant being dayRead MoreThe Battle Of The Somme1781 Words   |  8 Pagesadvances, varying from a few hundred yards to 7 miles along a thirty mile front. This was not however the only achievement of the battle of the Somme. Hindenburg, a German general admitted within his Memoirs that while very little land was lost fighting in the Somme, the German army wouldn’t have survived many more campaigns similar to it or Verdun. Moreover, the Somme marked a change in the global perception of Britain; it became a force to be reckone d with. Erich von Falkenhayn, Chief of the GermanRead MoreThe Battle of the Somme in 1916 2009 Words   |  9 Pages â€Å"The Battle of the Somme, July-November 1916, was the largest military encounter in history to date, involving over 1.5 million men†, says Furtado, author for History Today (10). Out of this 1.5 million, around 75 to 83 percent died or were injured by the end of the Battle of the Somme. Furtado later remarks that â€Å"...troops from Canada, Newfoundland..., South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, India, China, Senegal, North Africa, Madagascar, Somalia, Indochina, and others† were all atRead MoreCanadas Involvement in World War One Essay1425 Words   |  6 Pages and it marked the beginning of independent Canadian forces fighting under a Canadian-born commander. On August 5, 1914, the Governor General declared a war between Canada and Germany. Battles such as Vimy Ridge, the Second Battle of Passchendaele and the Battle of the Somme were some of the worst battles that the world can find Canadians. Our northern nation had boasted over 600,000 soldiers to the battlefields whilst also providing vital manufacturing facilities and training soldiers from