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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 in an effort to break the stalemate on the Western Front's stalemate. 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 stalemate was offensive did not broken by break the offensivestalemate and resulted in massive casualties for both sides. Historians have argued whether the Somme was a failure or a partial success. It is clear that the The British and French did not secure their main objectives during the battle. Why did the Somme offensive failed fail to achieve its planners’ primary goals? This failure Mostly, the Allies failed at the Somme was due to because of poor leadership, planning , and a stubborn German defencedefense. == Why did the Allies decide to attack the Germans at Somme? ==Since 1914, the war on both the Eastern and the Western Fronts had become a war of attrition. Both sides had established a series of defensive lines, involving thousands of miles of trenches and they regularly attacked and counter-attacked each other for little or no strategic or tactical advantage.<ref> Gilbert, M. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805081275/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0805081275&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=215891b2156d756f1e4b5799a19bf45c The Somme: Heroism and Horror in the First World War]. </i> (Henry Holt and Company, 2006), p. 56</ref> The western military and the governments were eager to end the war or at least to be seen as delivering a victory. There were concerns that the public would not tolerate a war indefinitely. France and Britain's resources had become stretched, and they needed a victory to demonstrate that they were winning the war to their public. There was a genuine desire to end the stalemate which was costing thousands of lives per week.<ref> Gilbert, p. 112</ref> Then there was the strategic situation on both the eastern and the western front. The Russians had been planning their assault on the Austro-Hungarians in the east, an attack from the west would mean that the Germans could not come to the aid of their allies in Vienna. Then there were the almost simultaneous massive battles taking place in Verdun.<ref> Gilbert, p. 113</ref> The Germans and the French have engaged in a bloody battle forVerdun'se fortress. The French army had found itself hard-pressed, and many feared that they would break and this could result in the Germans driving a wedge between the British in the north and the French armies in the south. Somme was seen as necessary to alleviate the French's pressure and assist the Russian offensive. ==What was the Allied Strategy for the Battle of the Somme? ==[[File: Somme 2.jpg|thumbnail|300px|left|left|German Soldier at the Somme]]General Sir Douglas Haig assumed command of the British army in early 1916. He wanted to launch the offensive nearer the English Channel to be closer to the British supply lines. However, the French pressured the British to have the offensive in the Somme region. When the Verdun offensive started, the Somme area saw the withdrawal of many German units. The Germans had little reserves in the area, and it seemed that the Somme was the perfect location.<ref>Keegan, J.<i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375700455/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0375700455&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=05f6a7874da643b9c91e35ee4c241268 The First World War] </i>.(London: Random House, 1998), p. 12</ref>
== What tactics did the Allies use during the Somme? ==[[File: British Mark I male tank Somme 25 September 1916.jpg|left|thumbnail|300px|British tank at the Somme]]The resources British committed hundreds of France and Britain had become stretched and they needed a victory thousands of men to demonstrate that they were winning the war to their publicfighting. There The British troops on the Somme was a genuine desire to end mixture of the stalemate which was costing thousands surviving members of lives per week.<ref> Gilbertthe old regular army, p. 112</ref> Then there was the strategic situation on both the eastern Territorial Force, and Kitchener's Army, comprised of volunteers including the western front. The Russians ‘Pals Battalions,’ that had been planning their own assault on the Austro-Hungarians in the east, an attack recruited from the west would mean that the Germans could not come to the aid of their allies in Vienna. Then there were the almost simultaneous massive battles taking place in Verdunsame towns and villages.<ref> GilbertMiddlebrook, pM. 113<i>[https://ref> The Germans and the French were engaged in a bloody battle for the fortress of Verdunwww. The French army had found itself hard pressed and many feared that they would break and this could result in the Germans driving a wedge between the British in the north and the French armies in the southamazon. com/gp/product/0141390719/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0141390719&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=a43b8bf537d738980065094321836135 The Somme was seen as necessary to alleviate the pressure First Day on the French and to assist the Russian offensiveSomme]. </i>(London, Penguin, 1971</ref>
The Germans mainly adopted a defensive posture. They largely stayed in French did achieve some significant results, and they ejected large elements of the trenches and waited for German 2nd Army from their positions south of the Somme. The British to attackin total only made minimal gains at a considerable cost.<ref> Keegan, p 178</ref> The tactics of It was clear after the first day of that the Somme was repeated again British had not achieved tactical surprise and again with only limited resultsthat the German defenses were stronger than expected. The Germans did not have However, the British and the reserves to stage any counter-attacks during French High Command continued with the offensive as they needed all their men for their siege of Verdun. The British introduced tanks Somme offensive was to help them break become a series of pitched battles between the deadlock but they proved unable to coordinate their advance with British and the infantryFrench. Furthermore, Historians had identified some thirteen significant battles between the tanks proved unreliable Anglo-French armies and often broke downthe Germans during the Somme offensive. The fighting continued until early November when British were on the attack all through the onset of winter summer and especially the rain meant that the British could not simply continue.<ref> Keegan, pearly autumn. 179</ref>
==What was the Outcome of the Somme? ==The British High Command Somme was guilty one of being over-optimistic. They had assumed that the British artillery barrage would be more bloodiest and perhaps least effective than it was and they failed to take into account the fact that the Germans had been building extensive lines battles of defences before the offensive beganwar. The estimates for casualties are inexact and only educated guesses. Then there was the The British planners’ failure to coordinate the various aspects of the offensiveand French suffered approximately 600, they proved unable to coordinate the artillery barrage with the infantry’s advance000 killed and wounded.<ref> PriorThe Germans suffered about 500, p000 casualties. 135</ref> FurthermoreThe Anglo-French armies managed to make real and significant gains, especially after the British generals had been very conservative in their battle tactics, this can be seen in the orders they gave to walk across no manoffensive's land and their continued belief in initial phases. At the effectiveness end of cavalry. If the battle in November, the British High Command and French forces had penetrated some 6 miles into German-occupied territory. The offensive had planned recaptured more territory than any other battle since the offensive better, it could have been a true success instead Battle of being at best only a partial success. Then there was the fact that the British High Command was reluctant to change their tactics Marne in 1914 but they persisted using the same tactics from July to November and after the first day their enemy knew what to expect and planned accordingly. This meant that the Allies did not secure all their stated objectives.<ref> Wilson, pstill only went 6 miles. 221</ref>
== How did Poor Planning cripple the Allied Offensive during the Somme? ==The planning for the Somme offensive was rushed. Haig had only been in his role since the previous December. He wanted the British army to attack further north, but political considerations meant that he had to heed the French's opinions. The planning was accelerated because the British needed to come to the aid of the French at Verdun. Additionally, the British wanted to coordinate their attack with Russia during their offensive. This meant that there was a failure to coordinate the British units effectively. Many have argued that the Somme offensive would have had a better chance of success if it had not been rushed. However, it was not only rushed planning that was a problem. The British High Command was guilty of being over-optimistic. They had assumed that the British artillery barrage would be more effective than it was and they failed to take into account the fact that the Germans had been building extensive lines of defenses before the offensive began. Then there was the British planners’ failure to coordinate the offensive's various aspects; they proved unable to coordinate the artillery barrage with the infantry’s advance.<ref> Prior, p. 135</ref> Furthermore, the British generals had been very conservative in their battle tactics. This can be seen in the orders they gave to walk across no man's land and their continued belief in cavalry's effectiveness. If the British High Command had planned the offensive better, it could have been a true success instead of being at best only a partial success. Then there was the fact that the British High Command was reluctant to change the tactics. They persisted using the same tactics from July to November, and after the first day, their enemy knew what to expect and planned accordingly. This meant that the Allies did not secure all their stated objectives.<ref> Wilson, p. 221</ref> == Why were German Defenses so effective during the Somme?==One of the major reasons why the Germans had been able to limit the Allied offensive from July to November was their defenses. They had managed to develop a very sophisticated defensive line. This line allowed them to emerge after the barrages and allowed them to defend their positions against superior numbers. The Germans proved to be very resilient under the brutal Allied onslaught. Their units and the men on the ground had proved to be able to adapt to the terrible conditions of the battle, which Adolf Hitler called ‘not war, but Hell.’” <ref> Victor, George, <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1574882287/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1574882287&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=8e7a3aab0d3b57441ff3150d411f96cc Hitler: Pathology of Evil]</i>. (Washington, DC, Brassey's Inc. 2008) p. 28</ref> Furthermore, although they had far fewer guns , the Germans had them organised in a organized very effective way effectively in so-called ‘barrage sectors’ and this sectors, which allowed them to inflict devastating casualties at the Somme. This was not expected and that , which meant that the Allies did not achieve the breakthrough that they expectedhoped. Then the German soldiers during the battle had been better prepared for example they did not find themselves loaded down with equipment like the British who had to carry almost eight pounds into battle.<ref> Middlebrooks, p. 116</ref> Furthermore, German units proved to be more flexible and could respond better to the dynamic battlefield situation. For example, the Germans proved to be able to adapt to the threat posed by the tanks ' threats and they found ways to disable and neutralise neutralize them.
==Conclusion==
The Battle of the Somme was not the failure it is often portrayed. It did play an important role in the eventual German defeat in 1918 and did allow the allies to recapture some strategic territory. However, given the losses , the battle did not achieve much , and the Germans did not suffer any major strategic defeats. In fact, they They proved capable of continuing the fight on the western front for another two years. The failure of the Allies to achieve their main objectives despite the massive losses was due to several factors and they include poor and rushed planning. These meant that there were deficiencies in the planning process and this hampered the allies advance. Then the Germans proved adept in defending their positions and they had established massive defensive lines. The British Generals in particularly placed too much faith on their new weapons especially their tanks and on the ability of artillery to dislodge and destroy defenders in networks of trenches. These all ensured that the Somme largely failed to be the decisive victory that its planners had hoped for in the Spring of 1916.
The Allies' failure to achieve their main objectives despite the massive losses was due to several factors, and they include poor and rushed planning. These meant that there were deficiencies in the planning process, and this hampered the allies' advance. Then the Germans proved adept in defending their positions, and they had established massive defensive lines. The British Generals in particularly placed too much faith in their new weapons, especially their tanks and artillery's ability to dislodge and destroy defenders in networks of trenches. These all ensured that the Somme largely failed to be the decisive victory that its planners had hoped for in the Spring of 1916. <div class="portal" style="width:85%;"> ====Related DailyHistory.org Articles====*[[Why was Germany defeated at the First Battle of the Marne (1914)]]*[[What was Blitzkrieg and Who Created it]]*[[Why did Germany not achieve victory at Verdun in 1916?]]*[[How did Winston Churchill become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in World War Two?]]</div> ====References====
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