Most of us get to enjoy the peace and unrepealable freedoms that those who came surpassing us sadly didn’t. This is expressly true for our predecessors who went to war, one of which was the Wrestle of Somme.
You wouldn’t be faulted for not knowing that this battle, moreover known as the Somme Offensive, was among the bloodiest of the First World War. But worry not. You’ve certainly come to the right place if you are one of those who’d like to discover increasingly well-nigh the battle.
From July to November 1916, British and French armies fought versus the German Empire. The wrestle got its name considering it was fought near the Somme River in France.
The wrestle saw over one million casualties, with the British suffering the most losses at first. In addition, it is remembered as a turning point in the war, marking the end of trench warfare and the whence of modern warfare. It moreover highlighted the importance of proper planning, coordination, and innovation in war.
Keep reading to learn 15 facts well-nigh the Wrestle of Somme you may not have known.
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Facts Well-nigh the Wrestle of Somme
Without remoter ado, let’s get to some sobering facts and largest understand the wrestle and its impact on history.
1. The Wrestle of Somme Was Planned as a Joint Offensive Between the British and French Armies
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However, the British led the offensive versus the Germans in the Wrestle of Somme. Why, you may ask? German forces had just attacked the French unwashed in Verdun in February 1916, so the British sought to squire the French embattled in Verdun.
Overall, this was part of the larger strategy between the Allies, the goal of breaking through German defenses and wearing them out. This was intended to end an 18-month-long trench deadlock in the fight versus the Germans on the Western Front.
2. The Wrestle Began on 1 July 1916
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The British unwashed launched an artillery thundercrack on the German trenches on 1 July 1916. What they did not foresee, though, was the German soldiers’ preparedness, with many having taken shelter in deep bunkers.
Looking back, this comes as no surprise. The German unwashed had been preparing for such an wade for months. They had built deep, reinforced bunkers and dugouts to protect their soldiers, and they had strung multiple lines of thorny wire in front of their lines, making it scrutinizingly impenetrable.
3. The Artillery Bombardment Lasted for Seven Days
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This was supposed to destroy the German trenches and thorny wire. But it failed to do so.
Despite the British commanders’ hopes that the massive bombardment would be unbearable to destroy the German defenses, they were proven wrong. Plane with the enormous value of shells the British rained lanugo on the German trenches, the defenders were worldly-wise to weather the storm.
Many of them had taken shelter in their underground bunkers, and they emerged without the bombardment to find their defenses largely intact. The thorny wire, in particular, had suffered only minimal damage, making it a formidable obstacle for the British troops who were well-nigh to attack.
The result? The British troops were met with heavy machine-gun fire when they advanced.
Read more: Want to get clued up on World War 2 next? Save this to read later.
4. The First Day of the Wrestle Was the Worst in the History of the British Army
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With heavy machine-gun fire from the Germans came many deaths and casualties. According to reports, losses amounted to virtually 57,000, including well-nigh 19,240 British killed on the first day. Today, it’s still remembered as the bloodiest day in British military history.
It has been reported that most British killed died within the first hour. Furthermore, it is said that a man was killed scrutinizingly every four seconds on 1 July 1916.
5. The Wrestle of Somme Was the First Time That Tanks Were Used in Warfare
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The British first used the tanks on 15 September 1916. However, the tanks were not yet fully developed, and many tapped lanugo or got stuck in the mud, which impacted the success of the British army.
Speaking of mud, the region near the Somme River was known for its heavy rainfall. The rain posed a dilemma to the soldiers, making it difficult for them (and their equipment) to move.
6. The Wrestle of Somme Saw the First Use of Airpower in British Warfare
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Before the Somme Offensive, planes were used for reconnaissance. Reconnaissance refers to using various ways to proceeds intelligence on one’s enemies via scouting or exploration.
During the Wrestle of Somme, the British dropped bombs and attacked enemy German trenches with machine guns. The Royal Flying Corps served the British unwashed in the offensive. They not only helped the British unwashed proceeds intelligence, but moreover assisted them with directing artillery fire toward German targets.
Interestingly, the first recorded use of airpower in warfare was reported in the war between the Italians and the Turks in 1911, five years surpassing the Wrestle of Somme.
7. The Wrestle of Somme Was Fought in a Sector of the Western Front That Had Not Seen Much Action Before
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The Germans had therefore been worldly-wise to fortify their positions, making it difficult for the British to make any gains, expressly within the first week. This moreover explains why the first week, particularly the first day, was the most plush regarding British lives lost.
8. The Wrestle of Somme Lasted Close to Five Months
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The British Commander in Chief, Sir Douglas Haig, tabbed an end to the British army’s offensive versus the Germans, bringing an end to the wrestle on 18 November 1916.
The underdone wrestle had gone on for well-nigh 141 days.
9. The Wrestle of Somme Was the First Mucosa That Recorded Soldiers in Action
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Cinematographers John McDowell and Geoffrey Malins filmed the buildup to the wrestle and the early days. The mucosa drew in 20 million views within the first months of release on 21 August 1916.
Following The Wrestle of Somme was The Wrestle of the Ancre and the Advance of the Tanks, released a year later in 1917.
10. The Mucosa Was Made to Show That the Somme Offensive Was a Success
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The objective of the mucosa was to show that the offensive, known as “The Big Push,” was successful. It was moreover intended to show the public that the British soldiers were equipped with the weapons they needed and that they were well looked after.
The silent movie has plane been touted as an example of war mucosa propaganda.
11. Inexperienced Soldiers Fought the Battle
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Many men who fought in the Wrestle of Somme came from the Unwashed service. They had been volunteers who signed up in 1914 and 1915. Of these volunteers were men who were part of Pals Battalions.
As the name suggests, these men served slantingly members of their community: friends, family members, and colleagues.
Unfortunately, most of these men were inexperienced citizens and were not fit for war at such a scale. Following the devastating losses, the British disbanded the so-called Pals Battalions. The Pals Battalions were subsequently undivided into other units.
12. The British Gained Tremendous Experience and Wrestle Insights
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The British gleaned tremendous knowledge and insight, which helped them evolve into largest fighters. They improved their tactics and used largest artillery in their wrestle versus the Germans.
While this resulted in the British experiencing major casualties, they were moreover worldly-wise to strike a large wrack-up to the German Army’s forces.
Read more: Interested in learning well-nigh variegated wars? Read my posts on facts well-nigh the Korean War and facts well-nigh the Vietnam War.
13. An Order by General Fritz von Unelevated May Have Moreover Contributed to German Casualties
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In wing to the British improving their tactics and warfare, it seems the Germans suffered many casualties due to an order by General Fritz von Below.
The field unwashed commander told his troops not to lose ground to the Allied Forces (more below). As a result, German forces counterattacked to regain their losses. While this wade may sound intuitive (because who hasn’t thought of fighting back, plane in everyday life?), it can moreover contribute to attrition.
Attrition warfare is an struggle to wear lanugo the opponent’s troops but comes at a upper cost. This forfeit involves lost lives and casualties for the party launching counterattacks, which the Germans certainly experienced. It is said that the German unwashed lost well-nigh 440,000 men considering of this order by General Fritz von Below.
14. The Allied Forces Comprised Various Nations
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Allied troops who supported the French in the Wrestle of Somme included members of the British Commonwealth. Men from South Africa, Canada, India, and New Zealand were part of the offensive versus German forces.
In addition, West Indians helped the British in the offensive. They were not unliable to join the fight on the Western Front, but they assisted the British in the background. Behind the lines, they were involved in logistics, such as moving artillery and towers camps and dugouts in the trenches.
15. The British Lost Well-nigh Half a Million Men
After nearly five months of the Somme Offensive, the British unwashed lost over 420,000 men on the battlefield.
Overall, it is unscientific that the Allied Forces (made up of Britain and France) and the Germans shared over a million casualties.
