History - Battle of the Somme

Question 1

Date of the Battle + Conditions beforehand (British)

Answer 1

1 July 1916, Week’s worth of prep beforehand

Question 2

Date it ended (visualise a shell)

Answer 2

18 November 1916

Question 3

British and Commonwealth soldiers killed on first day

Answer 3

57,470 soldiers

Question 4

Reason 1 for British Failure

Answer 4

Bad Plan A, no Plan B

Question 5

Reason 2 for British Failure

Answer 5

Artillery was useless, made worse conditions for battle

Question 6

Reason 3 for British Failure

Answer 6

Germans were fine to attack after bombardment

Question 7

How many shells in week-long bombardment?

Answer 7

A million

Question 8

Bombardment’s objective 1

Answer 8

Kill / Scare Germans

Question 9

Bombardment’s objective 2

Answer 9

Keep Germans Awake

Question 10

Bombardment’s objective 3

Answer 10

Destroy Barbed Wire (Defenses)

Question 11

Bombardment meant to be followed by:

Answer 11

Wave after wave of infantry attacks to overrun (War of Attrition)

Question 12

(Extra points!) What was detonated under enemy lines during the intense bombardment?

Answer 12

A series of massive mines

Question 13

The plan failed due to Germans surviving unharmed, due to:

Answer 13

Well built dug-outs and tunnels, underground so little damage

Question 14

On top of Germans surviving, what other decision helped failure?

Answer 14

No Plan B to Plan A

Question 15

On top of Germans surviving and no Plan B, what other happening helped failure?

Answer 15

Barbed wire mangled, harder to breach defenses