WW1 - Battles

Question 1

The Battle of the Somme

Answer 1

Overview:
o Dates: July 1 to November 18, 1916
o Location: Somme River, France
o Objective: To break through German lines and relieve pressure on the French forces at Verdun.

Leaders:
o British Commander: General Sir Douglas Haig o French Commander: General Ferdinand Foch

Key Events:
o First Day: The British Army suffered nearly 60,000 casualties, one of the bloodiest
days in military history.
o Tactics: Heavy artillery bombardment followed by infantry advances.
o Outcome: Limited territorial gains for the Allies, with over one million total casualties on both sides.

Significance:
o Demonstrated the brutal realities of trench warfare and the high human cost of
World War I.
o Highlighted the difficulties of breaking through entrenched positions.

Question 2

The Battle of Passchendaele (Third Battle of Ypres)

Answer 2

Overview:
o Dates: July 31 to November 10, 1917
o Location: Near Ypres, Belgium
o Objective: To capture the village of Passchendaele and break through German defenses.

Leaders:
o British Commander: General Sir Douglas Haig

Key Events:
o Conditions: Heavy rain turned the battlefield into a quagmire, making movement
and fighting extremely difficult.
o Tactics: Artillery bombardments and infantry assaults.
o Outcome: The village of Passchendaele was captured, but at a cost of around 250,000 Allied casualties and similar German losses.

Significance:
o The battle is remembered for its horrific conditions and high casualty rates. o It exemplified the futility and devastation of trench warfare.

Question 3

“Lions Led by Donkeys”

Answer 3

Meaning of the Phrase:
o The term “lions led by donkeys” was used to describe the British soldiers (lions) and their commanders (donkeys).
o It suggests that brave soldiers were led by incompetent or indifferent generals.

Criticisms of Leadership:
o Generals like Sir Douglas Haig have been criticized for their tactics, which led to high casualty rates with little strategic gain.
o The phrase implies that the soldiers’ courage and sacrifices were wasted by poor leadership decisions.

Historical Debate:
o Some historians argue that the generals were constrained by the limitations of the
time and did the best they could under the circumstances.
o Others maintain that better strategies and more regard for soldiers’ lives could have led to different outcomes.