Somme As A Failure:

Question 1

Who was David Lloyd George, and how did he view the Battle of the Somme?

Answer 1

David Lloyd George who became prime minster in December 1916, had no doubts. He regarded the Somme as ‘a ghastly failure’.

Question 2

Did the Allies even achieve their objectives?

Answer 2

The Allies failed to achieve all of their objectives and the war was to continue for another two years. Over a million men from both sides became casualties in the long and bitter struggle on the Somme in 1916.

Question 3

What shows that commanders like Haig treat soldiers’ lives with disdain?

Answer 3

In the last bitter, bloody months these volunteers were joined by conscripts who had been given no choice, due to the military act of 1916.

Question 4

List the casualties.

Answer 4

The British Empire had suffered 420,000 casualties and the French 200,000 in the process.
German losses were at least 450,000 killed and wounded.

Question 5

Why were the battle plans contributory to the failure?

Answer 5

The British believed that the Germans would be so shattered by this bombardment that the infantry would rush over and occupy their trenches. But they overestimated their firepower. The guns were too thinly spread for the task in hand. The Germans were stationed behind a formidable set of defences, the strength of which had been underestimated by Allied intelligence.

Question 6

What happened on the opening day?

Answer 6

The opening day of the attack, 1 July 1916, saw the British Army sustain 57,000 casualties, the bloodiest day in its history. The campaign finally ended in mid-November after an agonising five-month struggle that failed to secure a breakthrough.

Question 7

How did people view the Somme?

Answer 7

For years after those who led the campaign received criticism for the way the battle was fought and the appalling casualty figures incurred - in particular the British commander-in-chief General Douglas Haig was said to have treated soldiers’ lives with disdain. Many people found it difficult to justify the 125,000 Allied men lost for every one mile gained in the advance.

Question 8

How did Winston Churchill view the attack?

Answer 8

On 1 August 1916, Winston Churchill, then out of office, criticised the British Army’s conduct of the offensive to the British Cabinet,
claiming that though the battle had forced the Germans to end their offensive at Verdun,
attrition was damaging the British armies more than the German armies.