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[[File:British_Lancers.jpg|thumbnail|300px|left|18th King George’s Own Lancers near Mametz, on the Somme, 15 July 1916]]
The Battle of the Somme or the Somme Offensive was a series of battles that occurred during the Summer and Autumn of 1916. It involved British and French forces launching a massive assault offensive on the German lines to break the stalemate on the Western Front. The Battle was primarily a battle between the Germans and the British. The offensive was not effective and achieved very little, and both sides suffered heavy casualtiesfor the allies. The British only advanced a few miles and the German lines held. The offensive did not break the stalemateand resulted in massive causalties for both sides.
Historians have argued whether the Somme was a failure or a partial success. It is clear that the British and French did not secure their main objectives during the battle. Why did the Somme offensive fail to achieve its planners’ primary goals? Mostly, the Allies failed at the Somme because of poor leadership, planning, and a stubborn German defense.
