The British and French armies fought the Germans in the Battle of the Somme.The Battle of Somme or the Somme Offensive, was one of the bloodiest battles ever fought. It claimed countless lives.History is not just about the past; what we learn from history can shape the way we create the future. One of the events that have shaped the course of the world is the two World Wars. To make sure we never commit the same mistakes that led up to the war, it is important to learn about them. History has always been destined to repeat itself unless we learn from our past. In this article, we will learn about one of the seminal battles of the First World War, the Battle of Somme.This deadly battle took place in the year 1916. This battle was fought by the armies of the French Third Republic and the British Empire against the German Empire. The battle took place on both banks of the Somme River, which is a prominent river in France. This battle was fought for the Allies’ intended victory. The decision to commit to this battle was taken by the British and the French at the Chantilly Conference in the year 1915 itself. The battle was fought because of a deadlock at the Western Front German trenches. The Allies needed a decisive victory against the Germans on the Western Front. The attack by the Germans at Verdun further hastened their desire for a victory.The offensive began on July 1, 1916, after a German artillery bombardment of the German lines. The British troops that advanced into the German line later found out that the German defences were not attacked as expected by them. However, the British had to pay a costly price as even though they made very few advancements, they had to sacrifice a lot of their men due to this. This gave rise to one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War. This war was also important as it was the first time tanks and warplanes were used in warfare. As to answer the question of ‘who won the Battle of Somme?’, there was no decisive winner between the German defenders and offenses. After a period of fighting for five months, British Commander in Chief Sir Douglas Haig called a halt to his offensive near the Somme River.If you like reading about history and important events like this, which played a pivotal role in shaping history and modern warfare, be sure to check out other interesting articles by Kidadl, such as Battle of Berlin facts and Battle of Cowpen facts.Fun Facts About Battle Of SommeHere are some really fascinating and interesting facts about this long battle that was fought during the First World War.The Battle of the Somme officially started on July 1, 1916, and lasted for about five months. The last battle ended on November 13, 1916, but it was officially suspended on November 19, 1916.One of the most notable or historically significant aspects of this battle was the introduction of tanks. On September 15, the first tanks were used by the British forces, which used the Mark I tanks. The tanks proved effective on their first showing, helping the Allies by 1.5 mi (2.4 km). It would still take years for armies around the world to refine tank technology and military strategy.The Battle of Somme is one of the bloodiest battles, with over 420,000 British casualties. Between the German, British, and French forces, the total death tally was over one million lives.Germany lost many men to the barbaric orders of General Fritz von Below to not lose any ground to the Allies. The German forces were ordered to counterattack, which caused the deaths of over 440,000 German soldiers.There were about 16 Allied divisions, made up of both the French and the British Fourth Army, with which the Battle of Somme began. The French divisions were smaller in comparison to the British. The French division was led by General Ferdinand Foch. The British Fourth Army and the other British divisions were led by Sir Henry Rawlinson.A documentary titled ‘The Battle of Somme’ was created by Geoffrey Malins and John McDowell. It included pictures not only from the time before the battle but also from during it, as well as the condition afterward. This film was first viewed by the public on August 21, 1916. In a little less than three months, the film had already reached a large audience. Within two months of its release, about two million people had watched the film within two months of its release.General Sir Douglas Haig made a plan for the Third Army in the north, while the French Sixth Army would be in the south, making diversionary attacks. The British troops were supposed to break through at the center. If this plan was perfectly executed, then the Reserve Army would make use of the gap.Historical Facts About The Battle Of SommeThe Battle of Somme can also be known as the beginning point of all modern arms warfare.After facing losses at Verdun, the Allied High Command took the decision to attack the Germans. The French and British attack was supposed to move the Germans away from the German offensive at Verdun. The two objectives of this attack were to combine the British and French forces. Another objective, as laid down by Sir William Robertson after the war, was to ‘inflict as heavy losses as possible upon the German armies’. This is why it is said that the Battle of Somme was not a complete failure.Contrary to this, General Foch, who was the head of the French Army at the time, saw very little advantage in the Battle of Somme. The French Army was somewhat trained for the battle as they had some military knowledge. The British military, on the other hand, had no prior military knowledge. The British Army was only supposed to support the French but unfortunately ended up being at the center due to the stalemate position of France during the battle.On the first day of the Battle of Somme, the German defenders suffered a serious defeat at the hands of the French Sixth Harmony. Unfortunately, around 6,000 Germans lost their lives.More than three million men from different countries fought in this momentous battle of the Great War. Countless people got wounded, and many more, unfortunately, lost their lives.Facts About Battle Of Somme’s CasualtiesMines were also used by the Allies to destroy and attack the German lines and German positions. The German lines and the German defense would be attacked even before the battle. The Hawthorne Ridge saw a detonation only 10 minutes prior to Zero Hour. This came as a signal to the German Army that a more severe attack was pending.The Battle of Somme was undoubtedly one of the costliest battles of the First World War and was one of the bloodiest battles that the world had witnessed. It was without a doubt the bloodiest clash of the First World War. This battle, which was earlier meant to be led by the French Army against the Germans, was instead led by the British Army. On July 1, 1916, over 100,000 British troops advanced on the enemy lines. The British Artillery fire, however, could not clear the extensive barbed wire. The barbed wire laid by the German defenses could not be foreseen. The British Army, unfortunately, was shot down by machine guns that the German Army used to attack them for rushing through no man’s land. On this day itself, there were over 19,000 fatalities and more than 57,000 casualties. The British Army could secure only 3 sq. mi (8 sq. km) of the extensive 14.9 mi (24 km), but it had to pay a very heavy price.The British Army, over the course of this long battle, had roughly around 420,000 casualties. The French troops had casualties of up to 200,000 men, while the Germans had the highest casualties with nearly 500,000 men.Facts About Battle Of Somme’s ImportanceIn the United Kingdom, the Battle of Somme is the central memory of the horrors of the First World War.Over the course of 141 days, the Battle of the Somme took more than a million casualties and about 300,000 fatalities. The British troops, in particular, were subject to attacks with tanks, machine guns, and fighter planes. In a sense, the Battle of Somme, signifies the horror and the trauma that people had to face in the First World War. On the first day of this brutal battle, 585 men belonging to the Accrington Pals were wounded; some were killed in the span of a mere 20 minutes. The Battle of Somme is also a reminder of the bloodiest day in British Military history. It also came to epitomize the futile nature of trench warfare.On July 1, 2016, the United Kingdom observed a two-minute silence. This was to mark the battle that had claimed so many lives 100 years ago. BBC1 also broadcasted a special ceremony. On this day, 1,400 actors wore British Army uniforms from the First World War and walked on the streets. Information cards about the brave soldiers who lost their lives during this horrific battle were distributed. This was done to let the people around the city know more about the brave souls who gave everything for their country.The Battle of Somme proved to be a very important chapter in humanity’s history. It was one of the bloodiest and most horrific battles ever fought. It was also the first battle that saw the use of modern warfare like tanks and warplanes. Interestingly, the Germans’ defeat in the Great War eventually led to the rise of Adolf Hitler.It is important to know about the trauma that was faced by countless people during this five-month-long fight so that we can make sure that the world does not repeat this mistake ever again.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for who won the Battle Of Somme, then why not take a look at the Battle of Dunkirk facts or Battle of Franklin facts?
The British and French armies fought the Germans in the Battle of the Somme.
