The Somme, July - November

1. The Somme, July - November By Dhanush, Aki, Avi with help from Ms. Campbell – Pegg

3. Aims • Offensive - raise morale, winning the war through massive attacks, artillery, over the top then cavalry, this is their way of winning • Breakthrough German Lines decisively • Artillery Barrage would be strong enough to bring out to bring troops • Rehearsals for the Battle

4. Key Personalities: • General Haig - supreme britsh commander • Breakthrough decisively • No chance of breaking through German lines • Haig's denial • Haig argued it was a success • Relieve pressure • Prevent German mobilization • War of attrition with Germans

5. - General Sir Henry Rawlinson - Principle senior co-planner • ○ Battle notes and reports be destroyed • ○ Ordered troops to walk across

6. General Paul von Hindenburg

7. Battle Results: • 1.6 million shells dropped • Artillery ineffective • The shells were able maim shoulders but could not break barbed wire, and some did not explode • German dugouts and trenches were strong • First day conditions in favor of German defense • Protected Germen troops that could place heavy machine gun fire after bombardment • 60,000 dead 20,000 casualties on the first day • Somme unmitigated disaster • Principle German defense, took back any lost territory • 8Km of territory of little use • Hindenburg later retreated back to the Hindenburg line • Allied Casualties were over 1 million • German Casualties over 400,000 • Creation of the Hindenburg