Brian C., Scott M., Andrew C., Andrew T., Mike O., Adam B.

(for dummies)[and minorities]

Initiation of Conflict: July 1, 1916 Combatants: The British Empire (UK, Australia,

Canada, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa), France versus the German Empire

Commanding Officers: Douglas Haig (British Empire), Ferdinand Foch (France) versus Max von Gallwitz, Fritz von Below (Germany)

The battle was an attempt to prevent casualties at the battle of Verdun by staging diversionary offensives across the Somme river area.

The Allies

Douglas Haig

Henry Rawlinson

Ferdinand Foch

Fritz von Below

Max von Gallwitz

Understand that the “Battle of the Somme” is a military campaign rather than an isolated event.

It is comprised of a series of isolated conflicts along a 95 mile front.

Allied artillery bombarded German defenses along the river for ten days.

The soil in the area lent itself to the construction of minefields.

The Allies wanted to create an opening that could be exploited by cavalry forces moving North towards Arras.

A main attack was to be carried out by forces under Gen. Rawlinson. A diversionary attack followed by cavalry charged would be handled by other British divisions.

French forces would act independently of the British forces, supporting and shoring up holes in the lines.

Date: July 1, 1916 Location: Somme, Picardy, France Official Name: The Battle of Albert Combatants: The British Empire (United

Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Newfoundland, India), France versus the German Empire

Commanding Officers: Douglas Haig (British Empire), Henry Rawlinson (British Empire), Ferdinand Foch (France) versus Fritz von Below (German Empire)

The Battle began on July 1st 1916 It didn’t end until today, November 18th

1916. That’s a whopping four and a half

months.

The Somme looks to be one of the bloodiest battles in human history. By “avoiding casualties” at Verdun, the allied brass doomed more than 600,000 allied soldiers.

The most ground taken by the Allies was a mere 5 miles (8 kilometers) from their original position.

There were roughly 2 Allied casualties per inch of ground taken. (That’s just the Allies. German casualties pushes this figure up to 3½ per inch)

If you’re talking about just deaths, there were 0.942/inch.

In every 1½ minutes of the battle’s 4½ month duration, 1.52 people died.

http://www.ramsdale.org/somme.htm http://www.worldwar1.com/mapsomme.h

tm http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/WF7.SO

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