The Battle of Somme
The Battle of Somme started in July 1st 1916. It lasted until November 1916. For many people, the Battle of Somme was the battle that symbolised the horrors of trench warfare in World War One.
The British commanders have received a lot of criticism for the way the battle was fought. By the end of the battle, the British Army had suffered 420,000 causalities including 60,000 on the first day alone. The French lost 200,000 men and the Germans nearly 500,000.
For a number of months the French had been taking severe losses at Verdun (to the east of Paris). To relieve the French, the Allied forces decided to attack the Germans to the north of Verdun therefore requiring the Germans to move some of their men away from Verdun and into the Somme battlefield.
The British and French planned to attack on a 24km front between Serre north of the Somme River. On the morning of July 1st, 1916, 100,000 British troops came out of their trenches and advanced toward the German lines. The soldiers staggered across a crater-filled field known as ‘No Man’s Land’ in long orderly lines. “No-man's land under snow is like the face of the moon: chaotic, crater ridden, uninhabitable, awful, the abode of madness.” (Owen)
The slow, massive advance was no match for the new weapons of the war. The British were mowed down from machine gun fire and more than 20,000 soldiers lost their lives. The worst in British military history. “Some men of the line regiment who had appeared on our right started running back. I shouted out to them to halt, but they took no notice. I pulled out my revolver and very nearly shot at them, but I thought it wouldn't do any good, as they all had their backs to me so would have thought that anyone hit was hit by a German bullet. If I ran after them my men might think I was running away. So I took my men on!” (Leger)
Over the course of the World War 1, many new technologies were introduced; many existing military vehicles and weapons were improved. Developments in long-range and powerful weaponry were an important development, such as the machine gun and heavy artillery. Also new advancements in chemistry enabled deadly new chemical weapons. The technology used was mostly blamed for extending the war, as the conflict quickly became an evenly matched battle with no side able to break the standstill. Both sides were forced to dig trenches for protection from the artillery fire, and thus bringing the armies to a stalemate.
Machine guns were improved for the use in World War 1. Most were able of firing up to 600 rounds of ammunition per minute in short bursts. However the guns although powerful they overheated quickly and they were difficult to move through the mud. Heavy artillery guns fired large shells of ammunition over a long distance. The artillery usually fired the shell in an arc to land on the target below. Like the machine guns they were hard to mauver and often got stuck in craters.
In April 1915, Germany introduced poison gas as a new weapon of war. Gases such as mustard and Chlorine gas were blown over into the enemy trenches; the gas burned and destroyed the respiratory tracts of anyone without a gas mask, causing terrible pain and death.
The British army first introduced the tanks into the war in September 1916 at the Battle of Somme. Their success came at overcoming the barbed wire obstacles and trenches. Although the tanks were successful are gaining territory, the mechanical unreliability of them limited their ability. Since they were rushed into production, they frequently broke down or got stuck in ditches. The crews inside the tank also suffered hot and noisy conditions, and almost constantly chocking on the fumes inside. By the end of the Somme, the improvements in tank technology and tactics meant that they were becoming more effective. “I wish those people who write so glibly about this being a holy war and the orators who talk so much about going on, no matter how long the war lasts and what it may mean, could see a case of musterd gas - the poor things burnt and blistered all over with great musterd coloured suppurating blisters, with blind eyes, all sticky and stuck together, and always fighting for breath, with voices a mere whisper, saying their throats are closing and they know they will choke." (Immortal Quotes from the Great War)
Aircraft was used to a great extent during the war. At first small planes were used to scout out enemy positions and drop small bombs down into the trenches. Later, planes were armed with machine guns and were used in aerial combats.
Advances in communication were also greatly improved. The development of telephone and wireless radio systems allowed instant communication between the field commanders and the soldiers on the front line to report and make quick decisions.
The Battle of Somme was one of the most terrible battles on the Western Front. They were many deaths and injuries but what came out of the battle was the most amazing. The new technological advancements killed many thousand but significantly improved the future and the soldiers that stuck in there and risked their lives in order to save not only their own country but the many countries involved.
The British commanders have received a lot of criticism for the way the battle was fought. By the end of the battle, the British Army had suffered 420,000 causalities including 60,000 on the first day alone. The French lost 200,000 men and the Germans nearly 500,000.
For a number of months the French had been taking severe losses at Verdun (to the east of Paris). To relieve the French, the Allied forces decided to attack the Germans to the north of Verdun therefore requiring the Germans to move some of their men away from Verdun and into the Somme battlefield.
The British and French planned to attack on a 24km front between Serre north of the Somme River. On the morning of July 1st, 1916, 100,000 British troops came out of their trenches and advanced toward the German lines. The soldiers staggered across a crater-filled field known as ‘No Man’s Land’ in long orderly lines. “No-man's land under snow is like the face of the moon: chaotic, crater ridden, uninhabitable, awful, the abode of madness.” (Owen)
The slow, massive advance was no match for the new weapons of the war. The British were mowed down from machine gun fire and more than 20,000 soldiers lost their lives. The worst in British military history. “Some men of the line regiment who had appeared on our right started running back. I shouted out to them to halt, but they took no notice. I pulled out my revolver and very nearly shot at them, but I thought it wouldn't do any good, as they all had their backs to me so would have thought that anyone hit was hit by a German bullet. If I ran after them my men might think I was running away. So I took my men on!” (Leger)
Over the course of the World War 1, many new technologies were introduced; many existing military vehicles and weapons were improved. Developments in long-range and powerful weaponry were an important development, such as the machine gun and heavy artillery. Also new advancements in chemistry enabled deadly new chemical weapons. The technology used was mostly blamed for extending the war, as the conflict quickly became an evenly matched battle with no side able to break the standstill. Both sides were forced to dig trenches for protection from the artillery fire, and thus bringing the armies to a stalemate.
Machine guns were improved for the use in World War 1. Most were able of firing up to 600 rounds of ammunition per minute in short bursts. However the guns although powerful they overheated quickly and they were difficult to move through the mud. Heavy artillery guns fired large shells of ammunition over a long distance. The artillery usually fired the shell in an arc to land on the target below. Like the machine guns they were hard to mauver and often got stuck in craters.
In April 1915, Germany introduced poison gas as a new weapon of war. Gases such as mustard and Chlorine gas were blown over into the enemy trenches; the gas burned and destroyed the respiratory tracts of anyone without a gas mask, causing terrible pain and death.
The British army first introduced the tanks into the war in September 1916 at the Battle of Somme. Their success came at overcoming the barbed wire obstacles and trenches. Although the tanks were successful are gaining territory, the mechanical unreliability of them limited their ability. Since they were rushed into production, they frequently broke down or got stuck in ditches. The crews inside the tank also suffered hot and noisy conditions, and almost constantly chocking on the fumes inside. By the end of the Somme, the improvements in tank technology and tactics meant that they were becoming more effective. “I wish those people who write so glibly about this being a holy war and the orators who talk so much about going on, no matter how long the war lasts and what it may mean, could see a case of musterd gas - the poor things burnt and blistered all over with great musterd coloured suppurating blisters, with blind eyes, all sticky and stuck together, and always fighting for breath, with voices a mere whisper, saying their throats are closing and they know they will choke." (Immortal Quotes from the Great War)
Aircraft was used to a great extent during the war. At first small planes were used to scout out enemy positions and drop small bombs down into the trenches. Later, planes were armed with machine guns and were used in aerial combats.
Advances in communication were also greatly improved. The development of telephone and wireless radio systems allowed instant communication between the field commanders and the soldiers on the front line to report and make quick decisions.
The Battle of Somme was one of the most terrible battles on the Western Front. They were many deaths and injuries but what came out of the battle was the most amazing. The new technological advancements killed many thousand but significantly improved the future and the soldiers that stuck in there and risked their lives in order to save not only their own country but the many countries involved.