Field Marshal Haig

Question 1

Who is he?

Answer 1

Douglas Haig was born in Edinburgh on 19 June 1861 into a wealthy family who owned a whisky business. He studied at Oxford University and in 1884 went to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.

Question 2

What did he do?

Answer 2

In an attempt to break the stalemate on the Western Front and relieve the pressure on the French at Verdun, Haig ordered the Somme offensive, which began on 1 July 1916. The British army suffered 60,000 casualties (just under 20,000 of whom were killed) on the first day, the highest in its history, and Haig’s conduct of the battle made him one of the most controversial figures of the war. In July 1917, a new offensive - the Third Battle of Ypres (also known as Passchendaele) resulted in further heavy casualties, but did succeed in weakening the German army and helped prepare the way for its defeat in 1918.

Question 3

What did he believe

Answer 3

the war could only be won on the Western Front.

Question 4

Could he have led it better?

Answer 4

Possibly but there weren’t many alternatives

Question 5

How do you measure success in war?

Answer 5

NOT by land gained but forcing the enemy to submit and erode their morale and attrition

Question 6

What were Haigs thoughts on:
Aeroplanes?
Tanks?

Answer 6

“Only accessories to men and horses” - Haig