was the battle of the somme a complete failure and why?

Question

please i need it for an essay!It doesnt have to be very long.I'm rubbish at history and i dont understand so i need some help.Its for tomorow!

Answer 1

Almost everything done in WWI was a complete failure.

The whole war resulted in massive damage to European economies, devastation of an entire generation of young men, and lasting resentment of a nation that erupted when Germany started WWII.

To the extent the Somme contributed to all that, yes, it was a complete failure.

Answer 2

Completely. Haig deliberate the wrestle as a leap forward assault, designed to destroy by way of the German traces.He believed the five day artillery bombardment which preceded the assault might ruin the German defences and kill the protecting troops; he informed his generals all their guys might must do was once to stroll into the empty German trenches and take them over. In the occasion, the German troops sat out the bombardment in defense in Stollen, strengthened concrete bunkers constructed deep underground for the reason.Further, a few of the Allied weapons fired shrapnel shells fused for airburst (to kill German troops, who have been absent hiding in Stollen). These shells did very little harm to the German defences, even the cord barriers in entrance of the trenches last uncut in lots of areas. So, whilst the assault went it, the British troops have been mown down by way of machinegun fireplace,the Germans having tons of time to go out their Stollen and soak up function because the British struggled to get by way of the German cord. Far from reaching a decisive leap forward, the whole reap after four and a part months and over six hundred,000 casualties was once a strip of land 20 miles lengthy and, at its furthest volume, 7 miles deep. Thus, the supposed leap forward under no circumstances occurred, so this aspect of the plan was once a whole failure. The different purpose for the Somme Offensive was once to alleviate stress at the French military, which have been beneath heavy assault at Verdun seeing that February; the idea was once that the Germans might must holiday off the assault at Verdun to manage the British Somme Offensive.However, the Germans contained the British assault with in the community to be had reserves - no German troops have been transferred from Verdun to the Somme, so this aspect of the Allied plan was once a whole failure. Finally, the gigantic casualties incurred by way of the British have been a crisis. On the primary day, the British military suffered practically 60,000 casualties (20,000 of them lifeless), making it the worst day within the historical past of the British military. Many of those guys have been from 'Kitcheners Army' the mass outpouring of volunteer patriotism within the early months of the warfare. The Somme was once their first essential wrestle, so always, attempt and price of coaching them was once for nought - Kitchener's Army's first wrestle was once a whole failure.

Answer 3

No, overall it was a success.
(Yes, I know that's not the conventional mythic wisdom)
It did what it had to do. It wasn't where the British wanted to attack, or when. But without the attack on the Somme, the French army would have collapsed at Verdun, as the Germans planned.

The casualties over the whole attack (not just the first day) were worse for the Gemans than the allies. Approximately 150,000 German dead, to 95,000 British.

Yes, almost 20,000 dead on the first day. (and twice as many wounded). By that time, the French defending at Verdun had taken 500,000 dead and wounded in three months. That was the scale of the war. It was a horror, but it was nothing like a complete failure.

The casualty *rate* for the overall Somme assault was actually slightly better than for allied infantry in Normandy in 1944.

Source: Mud, Blood and Poppycock by Gordon Corrigan.

Answer 4

Pedestal is right. It took pressure off the French.