WWI - The Somme

Question 1

Why was the Battle of the Somme a failure for the British and French?

Answer 1

Haig made these planning mistakes:

• The British were told to walk across no-man’s land in a straight line.
• The shells used were generally ineffective because they unsuitable for what they were trying to achieve.
• There was over 30m of German barbed wire; hard to destroy, even with the right equipment.
• Haig overestimated the quality of the British shells and underestimated the German trenches.

Question 2

What was the Battle of the Somme?

Answer 2

A battle which took place because the French and British wanted to take pressure away from Verdun, where Germany had just launched a large attack.