Was The Battle Of Somme A Success Or Failure Essay
Was the battle of the Somme a success or failure? It’s a question that has plagued the minds of many historians over the years. On one hand, without the battle the war could have had a very different outcome; but on the other hand, was it really worth all the slaughter and bloodshed?
In 1916, General Sir Douglas Haig was enforced with chance to conduct a major offensive against the Germans, ‘The Big Push’ some called it. His plan was to gather thousands of troops to attack the enemy at the Somme, forcing the German forces to focus on the defence of the Somme and straying away from France’s primary target Verdun.
The attack was originally scheduled to take place on August 1, 1916, but was moved forward to July 1, to divert the German forces at Verdun in defending the Somme. But the troops couldn’t just run in there guns blazing; the British had to prepare their battlefield. An eight-day preliminary bombardment began on June 24, were shells would thunder across the German defences, destroying barbed wire, turrets, heavy artillery and soldiers. Aircraft soared high above; pinpointing the locations that the shells would land. In fact, 10 minutes before the official attack, 17 mines were launched as one big explosion, but the mine’s co-ordinates were a bit off, missing the German lines. However the attack was so big, apparently the noise …show more content…
Wave upon wave of soldiers were mowed down before they new what hit them, and although a few units arrived at the German trenches, what to do next was futile, and in turn were driven back and most-likely killed. Britain’s ‘Pal’ battalions, who enlisted from the same towns and served together, suffered greatly. Entire battalions were wiped out instantly, and more followed over the coming weeks. Local newspapers would be filled with lists of the dead, wounded and
In 1916, General Sir Douglas Haig was enforced with chance to conduct a major offensive against the Germans, ‘The Big Push’ some called it. His plan was to gather thousands of troops to attack the enemy at the Somme, forcing the German forces to focus on the defence of the Somme and straying away from France’s primary target Verdun.
The attack was originally scheduled to take place on August 1, 1916, but was moved forward to July 1, to divert the German forces at Verdun in defending the Somme. But the troops couldn’t just run in there guns blazing; the British had to prepare their battlefield. An eight-day preliminary bombardment began on June 24, were shells would thunder across the German defences, destroying barbed wire, turrets, heavy artillery and soldiers. Aircraft soared high above; pinpointing the locations that the shells would land. In fact, 10 minutes before the official attack, 17 mines were launched as one big explosion, but the mine’s co-ordinates were a bit off, missing the German lines. However the attack was so big, apparently the noise …show more content…
Wave upon wave of soldiers were mowed down before they new what hit them, and although a few units arrived at the German trenches, what to do next was futile, and in turn were driven back and most-likely killed. Britain’s ‘Pal’ battalions, who enlisted from the same towns and served together, suffered greatly. Entire battalions were wiped out instantly, and more followed over the coming weeks. Local newspapers would be filled with lists of the dead, wounded and