Week 8-9 HIS Work Booklet: The Battle of the Somme PDF

The Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Passchendaele Lesson Resources for Week 8-9 1 How to use this booklet The information and tasks should follow your lessons. The idea here is that you ‘use the notes; don’t make the notes.’ This means that we would rather you engage in the lesso...

The Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Passchendaele Lesson Resources for Week 8-9 1 How to use this booklet The information and tasks should follow your lessons. The idea here is that you ‘use the notes; don’t make the notes.’ This means that we would rather you engage in the lessons, ask and answer questions, highlight key bits of information, complete tasks rather than copying down the information from the ppts. In the Discovery sessions we ask you to watch a video and read some new information and complete some tasks based on this. This should prepare you for the Explore lessons and make them less overwhelming. The booklet also contains additional questions related to the Discovery content that you can use for Cycle Test, Summative and final exam revision This way of learning should help to make sure that you have a firm understanding of the content before we move onto the Explore lessons. It is crucial that the Discovery tasks are completed. The textbook that we have asked you to buy will still be a valuable aide. It will offer further detail to extend your understanding of the subject. Please make sure that you have this booklet with you for each lesson and then you can follow the lessons seamlessly. You can print it out and write on it or save it to your computer, whichever works best for you. 2  Week 8 Discovery Lesson: The Battle of the Somme The Somme: the largest and bloodiest battle The Battle of the Somme took place between 1st July and the 18th November 1916 It was fought near the River Somme in northern France by the armies of the British and French against German forces. It was the largest battle of WW1 with more than 3 million men taking part. With around one million men being wounded or killed it was also one of the bloodiest battles to ever have taken place in human history. Why the Somme? Since the summer of 1915 the British commander on the Western Front, General Douglas Haig and the French commander General Joffre had been planning a coordinated attack in the hope of breaking the stalemate and pushing the German forces back. The French and British lines of trenches met around the river Somme, and this was selected as the place where the attack would take place. Haig had wanted to attack the Germans in Flanders (Belgium) but Joffre, a French general, successfully argued for the Somme. The first half of 1916 was spent planning and preparing for the battle which was to begin in the summer of 1916. Things, however, did not go to plan….. Verdun In February 1916 German forces attacked the French at the French fortress of Verdun. Whilst Verdun was not of any real strategic importance, its historical significance meant that the French were prepared to defend it at any cost. This is exactly what the Germans had planned. The German commander planned to ‘bleed France white’. France was therefore no longer able to play a major role in the Battle of Somme that had been planned for the Summer. France would send 5 divisions instead of 40. 3  Moreover, the Battle of the Somme now gained another crucial objective. It was now essential to draw German troops away from Verdun and relieve pressure on the French forces. The Plan The plan for the Battle of the Somme was uncomplicated. Douglas Haig, commander of the British forces at the Somme, believed that an intense bombardment of German forces would destroy their ability to oppose an infantry advancement. The British would then march over No-Man’s land unopposed. Soldiers would carry heavy backpacks and tools, so that they could repair the captured trenches when they got there The artillery bombardment began on June 24th 1916. In total, 1.7 million shells were fired towards the German trenches and No-Man’s Land. According to Haig, ‘The wire has never been so well cut, nor military preparations so thorough.’ 4 Revision questions Question Answer When did the Battle of 1 the Somme take place? 2 Give one objective of the Battle of the Somme 3 How many shells were first in the week before the Battle? 4 What was the bombardment meant to do? 5 The First Day At 7.30 am on the 1st of July the first wave of soldiers ‘went over the top’. On the first day alone, the British suffered 60,000 casualties - 20,000 dead, 40,000 wounded or taken prisoner, on the first day. The highest number of casualties and deaths ever recorded in a single day by the British Army What went wrong? The Germans were aware that an attack on the Somme was being planned by Britain and France. German observers in planes and balloons had noted the newly constructed roads and railways lines and had watched the movements of guns and soldiers. They were therefore not taken by surprise when the massive artillery attack started on the 24th June 1916; they were prepared German troops quickly moved back from the front-line trenches to specially built, strengthened trenches and bunkers, meaning the month-long artillery failed to kill the expected number of Germans. Worse still, one third of the shells fired were duds: they did not explode. The type of artillery used was also inefficient. Shrapnel rounds (shells that throw out small pieces of metal) were used more than high explosive shells, meaning the German concrete bunkers were not destroyed. Once the shelling stopped the German soldiers left their shelters, dragged their machine guns to the front lines and waited for the attack on foot to begin The artillery behind the German lines was not destroyed, meaning that when British soldiers left their trenches, they were faced with intense artillery bombardments as well as resistance from the German trenches. 6 And there is more… One intention of the shelling was to destroy the barbed wire that surrounded German trenches. The shells did not destroy the barbed wire but often just lifted it up and dropped it back down in a more tangled mess. Places where gaps had been made became bottlenecks. They were easy targets for enemy machine gunners. The slow pace of the British advance (remember they had been ordered to walk rather than run) only made these problems worse. British communication trenches (the trenches that connected the front-line trenches to the support trenches) were too narrow. This meant that reinforcements were slow to attack the Germans and made it easier for the Germans to prepare for each wave of attack. What happened next? Despite heavy losses, Haig continued to send men ‘over the top’ throughout the summer. He was confident of victory and knew that he had to relive the pressure at Verdun. Some gains were made, and different tactics were used, for example the creeping barrage. Tanks were also used (against the advice of experts). Out of the 50 tanks used 29 broke down before reaching the battlefield and the rest soon became stuck in the mud. However, the breakthrough that Haig hoped for never happened Haig had believed that British and French forces would take roughly 20 miles of land. By the end of the battle on 18th November 1916 only 5 miles had been secured. British casualties totalled 420,000, French 200,000 and German casualties were at around 500,000. 7 Revision Question Answer 5 How many casualties did the British suffer on the first day? 6 Give three reasons why the first day was such a disaster. 7 How much land had Haig hoped to take and how much was captured? 8 How many Allied casualties were there? How many German causalities? 9 Give one way in which the Battle of the Somme can be viewed as a failure 10 Give one way that it can be viewed as a success? 8  Week 8 Explore 1: How successful was the Battle of the Somme Starter: Put the phases of Haig’s plan of attack for the Battle of the Somme into the correct chronological order. Order Stage of the plan of attack Cavalry advance through the gap in the enemy lines, attack the German flanks & restart the war of movement. German trenches are bombarded with artillery along a 25 km stretch of the Western Front for seven days. Most German defending soldiers are killed & barbed wire trench defences destroyed. Allied Infantry advance across No Man’s Land to occupy German trenches. We will gather a huge new army of soldiers and send thousands of shells and supplies to the reserve trenches. Ten mines will be dug under German strong points. They will be exploded 2 minutes before the attack. We will send out spotter planes to report on progress as the allied soldiers capture the trenches. 9 Task: Find the incorrect statement and correct it! The Reality 1 Women on the home front worked hard to send thousands of shells and supplies to the reserve trenches. New recruits were quickly trained and sent to the Western Front. 2 The barbed wire was not cut by artillery shells. 3 The call to go ‘over the top’ was delayed until 2pm. 4 As the British soldiers were easy targets for the German machine guns. 5 During the bombardment many of the new shells were duds which failed to explode. The German dugouts were not destroyed as the Germans had reinforced them with concrete. 6 The mines were not positioned correctly and did not explode under the German bunkers. 7 Low cloud prevented the British spotter planes from realising that the plans were not working. 10  Task: Connect the error with the correct explanation of what went wrong British errors during the Battle of Explanation of the effect of the the Somme error Haig ordered a seven-day British The Germans were effectively artillery bombardment designed to warned the infantry attack was kill the German defenders in their about to begin. trenches. Haig believed the artillery Most Germans were safe bombardment would cut the barbed underground in reinforced wire defending the German trenches. bunkers. They returned to their positions in the trenches once the artillery bombardment was over. The British detonated the mine at The British infantry were easy Hawthorne Ridge 10 minutes before targets for German machine gun the infantry advanced so it could be fire. filmed. British soldiers were ordered to walk The artillery tangled the wire towards the enemy trenches as Haig worse than before making it even was confident the German defenders more difficult for the British to were dead. get through. 11 Task: Categorise the statements below to show successes and failures of the Somme. The battle destroyed the On the first day of the last of the German On the 11th day of the Battle battle, the British suffered professional army. Germany of the Somme, the Germans 57,470 casualties. Of these, replaced these troops with halted their assault on 21,392 were killed or missing; untrained men, which had a French positions at Verdun. the bloodiest day in British massive impact on their military history. morale and ability to fight. Despite 1 million shells being By the end of the Battle in British soldiers were largely fired over seven days by November, the British had told to advance at a steady British artillery, the suffered 420,000 killed or pace at the start of the German’s deep dugouts had wounded and the French battle rather than run or not been destroyed, nor had 200,000 killed or wounded. make use of cover. the German barbed wire. Haig refused to change his Tanks, used by the British in tactics, despite significant The Germans suffered battle for the first time, failures on the first day. He 500,000 killed or wounded by broke down without winning was nicknamed ‘The Butcher the end of the battle. much territory. of the Somme’ The volunteer soldiers who By the end of the battle in The British were not able to fought for Britain on the November, the British had end the stalemate of trench Somme gained valuable advanced 6 miles rather than warfare by breaking through experience which helped the expected 20 miles. German lines. Britain in later battles. 12 Task: How far does Source A support the evidence of source B about the Battle of the Somme? Explain your answer. (8 marks) Source A – A German soldier’s eyewitness account of the first day of the Battle of the Somme At 7.30am the hurricane of shells ceased as suddenly as it had begun. Our men at once clambered up the steep shafts leading from the dugouts. The German machine guns were hurriedly put into position. A series of long lines of infantry were seen moving forward from the British trenches. They came on at a steady pace as if expecting to find nothing alive in our trenches. A few moments later, when the leading British line was within a hundred yards, the rattle of machine gun fire broke out. Whole sections of the line seemed to fall. All along the line, men could be seen throwing up their arms and collapsing, never to move again. Source B – Written by a British soldier who fought on the first day of the Battle of the Somme We lost as many men, shot whilst trying to get through the barbed wire as we did whilst crossing No Man’s Land. I think the Germans had been reinforcing their barbed wire before the battle. Our generals thought that the artillery bombardment had destroyed the German barbed wire. I can’t understand why they thought that. All artillery does to barbed wire is to make it even more tangled up. The soldiers all knew that, so why didn’t the generals? 13  What is Source A saying about the Battle of the Somme? In what ways does Source B AGREE with In what ways does Source B DISAGREE with Source A? Don’t forget those SSQ (short Source A? Don’t forget those SSQ (short sharp quotations) sharp quotations) How far does Source A support the evidence of Source B? 14 Plenary: Match the question with the correct answer: What was Britain’s reason for 1st July 1916, the order was given to go attacking at the Somme? over the top When did the Battle start? Only a few square kilometres had been gained. How long did it last? Hundreds of thousands. How had it helped the French? 18 November 1916. How much land had been gained? To take the pressure off the French army at Verdun How many soldiers had been 5 months killed? When did the Battle end? The pressure at Verdun had been lifted. 15  Week 8 Explore 2: The Battle of the Somme Challenge yourself! How many of these questions can you answer? 1) When did the Battle of the Somme first begin? 2) What was the name of the General who led the offensive at the Battle of the Somme? 3) What weapon was used for the first time at the Battle of the Somme? 4) Give one feature of a trench 5) Give one disease suffered by soldiers in the trenches 6) Give one use of aircraft during WW1? 7) The Schlieffen Plan was designed to avoid what? 8) At which river was the German advance stopped? 9) What is stalemate? 16 Read the below statement by Henry Hamilton, a war reporter during the war. “The Somme and Haig were, in truth, very disappointing. Haig looked the part but had little general intelligence, no imagination or creative spirit. Haig will be held accountable for the appalling slaughter in the Somme battles, caused by his flinging masses of men against positions far too strong to be taken by assault. Summarise in your own words his view on Haig and the Somme Highlight the key words and phrases that give you this impression 17 Task: Highlight the sources which support Hamilton’s view - green. Highlight the sources which do not support Hamilton’s view - red. A: N Jones in ‘The War Walk’ (1983) B: A documentary on the Somme ‘The British fired 1,783,000 shells, 3 per second, (2016). at the Germans. The British were confident the ‘Ypres was more ideal where the land was wire and defences had been wiped out…but they flatter, and the strategic value was were wrong. They failed to realise that German higher. But pressure to relieve the French bunkers were sometimes dug 40 feet deep. Many meant the British needed to make their had been unaffected and now knew the British push at the Somme River. In doing so, it were coming.’ forced the British’s hand, but it diverted German forces north, away from Verdun. Without it, the French would most certainly have been overwhelmed.’ C: A modern historian (2020) D: Retired British army officer (2003) Haig was the first general to use the tank in big ‘British generals were not uncaring, they numbers. It was a new bold strategy.’ accepted, as they had to, that the very nature of war would lead to many deaths, however hard they tried to avoid them’. E: George Alexander Haig, General Haig’s son F: Philip Warner in ‘Field Marshal Haig’ (2006). (1991). ‘The Battle of Somme broke the German’s. ‘The cost of victory at Somme was Without attacks, the war would have gone on and appalling, but Haig’s military methods were on. This was a war of attrition, and someone had in line with the ideas of the time, when to break first.’ attrition was the method used to achieve victory.’ 18  The Butcher of the Somme? General Haig has often been blamed for the losses at the Battle of the Somme. Some historians call him the ‘Butcher’ , a heartless general who cared little for his soldiers and sent them needlessly to deaths using outdated methods. Some have dismissed this highlighting the problems facing all generals at the time and the successes at the Somme. Think! ‘General Haig thoroughly deserves the nickname the ‘Butcher’. He was a heartless general who cared little for his soldiers and sent them needlessly to deaths using outdated methods’ How far do you agree with this interpretation of Haig? 19 On the one hand, given the horrendous casualties suffered by Allied forces at the Somme, it is perhaps understandable that Haig has received such criticism and has been labelled ‘The Butcher of the Somme.’ The first day alone saw Britain suffer 60,000 casualties , the worst single day in British military history. A substantial number of these casualties could have been avoided if better planning and preparation had taken place. Haig knew about the barbed wire and the German dug outs yet he seriously over estimated the ability of the artillery to destroy German defences. Moreover, Haig refused to alter his main tactics even after the first day and continued to send men ‘over the top’ time and time again. Ultimately, 4 months of fighting and over 620,00 Allied casualties failed to make the breakthrough that Haig had hoped for. At most the Allies had only advanced by 5 miles along just part of the Western Front. Label the paragraph above to show The opening point that makes it clear what this paragraph will argue. Refers back to the question. Detailed subject knowledge Use of connectives to build up your argument 20  Now write a paragraph arguing against Haig being labelled the ‘Butcher of the Somme’ Top tips for a top paragraph! Opening point - make it clear what this paragraph will argue ‘However, it is possible to argue that this interpretation of Haig is perhaps too harsh.’ Use precise and accurate subject knowledge to give reasons why this interpretation might be too harsh. Connectives to build an argument. It should be acknowledged that Furthermore Moreover, Undoubtedly Admittedly, It could be argued that 21 Independent tasks: Revision – Analyse the sources below to help you to prepare for your Week 9 Summative- How far does Source B support the evidence of Source A about the effect of the Battle of the Somme on the German army? (8 marks) Source A: From the autobiography of the German General Ludendorff, My War Memories, 1914-1918, written in 1919. On the Somme the enemy's powerful artillery, assisted by excellent aeroplane observation and fed with enormous supplies of ammunition, had kept down our own fire and destroyed our artillery. The defence of our infantry had become so flabby that the massed attacks of the enemy always succeeded. Not only did our morale suffer, we had heavy losses in men and material. As a result of the Somme, we were completely exhausted on the Western Front. Source B: German General Von Arnim reflecting on the battle at the end of the war. Reserve supplies of ammunition were only available in very small quantities and the German telephone system proved totally inadequate in relaying communications. The German air service was surprisingly weak, and the British airmen had established a complete mastery. The numerical superiority of the enemy's airmen and the fact that their machines were better made, became disagreeably apparent to us, particularly in their direction of the enemy's artillery fire and in bomb-dropping. The men reported that their battalions had been cut to pieces. Some of their regiments had lost three-quarters of their strength. I was amazed by the courage of my men, facing defeat not once did the soldiers ask to retreat. Morale was strong even after the enemy managed to weaken the German army to the point of defeat. 22  Agreement Disagreement 23 Week 9 Discovery Lesson: The Battle of Passchendaele Passchendaele: The Muddiest Battle Officially known as the Third Battle of Ypres, Passchendaele became infamous not only for the scale of casualties, but also for the mud. It took place between July and November 1917 around the town of Ypres in Belgium Why Passchendaele? Haig needed to take the pressure off the French and prevent their military collapse. Some of the French troops has mutinied in April and May 1917 after the failed Nivelle Offensive. The Russians were suffering badly and were about to leave the war, potentially leaving the Germans free to transfer troops to the Western Front. He still believed in attrition. He was convinced that the Germans had been greatly weakened by the offensives of 1916 and were on the verge of collapse. He was also personally committed to a ‘war-winning’ offensive in Flanders. He was convinced that he could achieve a quick breakthrough at Ypres. The British could then advance north and capture the Belgian ports of Zeebrugge and Ostende, which were being used by the Germans as U-boat bases. The start of the battle The main attack was preceded by an attack on Messines Ridge, south of Ypres on 7th June where 19 huge mines were detonated, destroying the ridge but alerting the entire German army. An initial bombardment of over 4.5 million shells from 3000 guns was launched on 18th July 1917. It lasted for two weeks. Therefore, the German army in the area fully expected a major Allied attack - so any vague hope of surprise was lost. The artillery bombardment had turned the clay soil into thick mud, becoming almost important to traverse. 24  Despite over 4.5 million shells being fired, German artillery positions remained intact. Guns became clogged and tanks sent to support got stuck and became inoperable Troops now marched slowly into German machine gun and artillery fire, almost identical to what happened at the Somme The weather turns… A few days into the battle the weather turned worse and over the next 30 days the worst rainfall hit the area in over 30 years. The artillery bombardment had destroyed the drainage systems of the region which greatly added to the problem. The surrounding countryside was turned into a swamp of mud and water. Tanks, sent forward to help the infantry, simply got stuck. Infantry soldiers found movement very difficult. The troops had to carry boards to lay down in front of them. If soldiers slipped off, they could drown in the mud. Over the month of July and into August, little to no progress was made due to the weather. At this point, many military commanders argued to Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig that the offensive should have been called off. Revision: Check your understanding so far! Question When and where did the Battle of Passchendaele 1 take place? 2 What were the objectives at the Battle of Passchendaele? 25  3 Give two reasons why the battle did not go to plan 4 Give two reasons why the terrain had turned into this swamp of mud by August 1917 The battle continues… The battle continued from August into October with little to no real gains being made, despite heavy casualties. The awful weather and conditions continued to hamper any progress and tormented the soldiers. The Germans used mustard gas to assist them and the attempted Allied breakthrough to Passchendaele Ridge failed to materialise. However, Haig would not concede that the attack had not succeeded. The battle ends… On November 6th, 1917, Passchendaele village was taken, and Haig used this success as the reason for calling off the attack, proclaiming it a successful operation despite failing to achieve any of its initial goals. However, the Third Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele had been a very costly battle. For the sake of a few kilometres, the British had lost approx. 240, 000 men (killed or wounded) and the Germans approx. 220,000. Haig was heavily criticised for the attack and for failing to modify his plans as the attack clearly was not going to be a success. 26  After the battle was over, Haig sent one of his officers to the battlefield he said ‘My god, did we really send men to battle in that?’ An aerial view of Passchendaele before and after the battle Why was the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) a disaster? Failing Artillery bombardment failed to destroy the German defences. Technology Tanks and cavalry couldn’t move in the thick mud of the terrain Poor The German positions were on ridges above the town of Ypres that overlooked the Leadership British positions. The Germans knew the British were planning a major attack and Planning Initially bombardment on the 18th July gave away the element of surprise. Shelling churned the soil and destroyed the drainage system, flooding the terrain which made it impossible to advance. Main attack should have been at the Messines Ridge. Why did Haig wait a month? 27 Factors Heaviest rain for 30 years turned the soil into a quagmire and prevented further outside advances. British Mud clogged the rifles and immobilised tanks. Men and horses drowned in their Control hundreds. Shell holes just filled with rainwater and provided no cover for advancing troops who couldn’t keep up with the creeping barrage and were gunned down in their thousands. Heavy rain meant planes could not spot artillery targets for the British. The Germans used mustard gas for the first time which totally confused the British troops. Passchendaele: An Analysis Yet again, Sir Douglas Haig had ordered an offensive which proved to be disastrous. He failed to acknowledge the strength of the German positions and their fighting spirit. His artillery bombardment failed, and he continued to send troops on the offensive despite it clearly not working. Countless lives were thrown away in doing so. And, yet again, he failed to achieve his initial goals. Much like the Somme, morally the battle appeared pointless, poorly thought out and an example of “lions led by donkeys”. Despite this, the rationale behind Passchendaele was sound. The Germans could not afford such casualties and though they lost less, it put a huge burden on a nation already struggling with the staggering losses of WWI. The Allies, on the other hand, had the arrival of United States forces, fresh off the boat, to look forward to. In military terms, though hardly a success, it did exactly what a war of attrition aims to do which is to drain your enemy of their resources and fighting capacity. Passchendaele did that. 28 Lions Led by Donkeys? V There are those have criticised Haig and the other generals of WW1 portraying them as ‘donkeys’. incompetent generals, responsible for thousands of their men’s deaths through sheer callousness. Many popular books, films and television programmes echo this belief. Whilst it would be wrong to suggest that the generals were blameless or that mistakes weren’t made, the ‘Lions led by Donkey’s interpretation’ should be challenged 29 Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig: An Analysis A successful military leader A military failure Haig’s leadership in 1914 was crucial to the BEF. Was often extremely stubborn in His decisive action and resilience ensured that the face of clear tactical errors. Germany failed with the Schlieffen Plan. A Often did not call off offensives major success at the Battle of Mons. when it was clear they had failed, Battle of the Somme relieved the pressure on such as at the Somme and the French at Verdun and had a devastating Passchendaele. impact on the German army Tens of thousands of lives were lost Haig passionately supported the use of new due to his poor decision making. technology such as the tank. Many more He rarely changed his tactics, even traditional officers had shunned its use, but it when it was clear they were not eventually proved pivotal to overall success. The working. Battle of Cambrai was a great example. He was often overconfident and Led the successful defence against the German failed to recognise the strength of Ludendorff Offensive in early 1918 German positions. He often believed Helped to lead the Hundred Days Offensive that persistent artillery which made use of the ‘All Arms’ strategy he bombardments would be effective, had developed of using troops, air support, despite not realising the bunkers tanks and artillery all on combination. These which the German had built in their tactics broke the Germans and ended the war in trenches. 100 days in 1918. Often appeared to disregard the He should also be seen in the context of his regular soldier, though his work times. None of the military leaders had any establishing the British Legion and experience of trench warfare on this scale nor the Poppy Appeal after the war had any other ideas of how to break the suggests this wasn’t true. stalemate without suffering mass casualties 30 Revision: Check your understanding so far! Question Answer 5 When did the Battle end? 6 How did Douglas Haig try to claim that the battle had been a success? 7 How many casualties did the British and German troops suffer? 8 Give one criticism made towards Haig over the Battle of Passchendaele 9 What does the term ’lions led by donkeys’ mean? 10 Give one reason why this interpretation may be unfair 31 Week 9 Explore 1: Applying the knowledge: Exam practice! b) How far does Source B support Source A about the casualties of the Battle of the Somme? Explain your answer. (8) Source A: Haig writing in 1919 In the course of the struggle, losses are bound to be heavy on both sides, soldiers signed up knowing that they may give their lives for their country. For this, victory is given, and the aims of the battles were achieved. My orders and tactics were thoroughly considered, unchallenged and carried out to the end. There is no way of avoiding loss of life, although our total losses may have been greater than were to be expected. Source B – A journalist writing in 1919 If the criteria of a successful general is to win wars, Haig must be judged a success. His perseverance and continuation of sending troops into battle broke the enemy into submission. The cost of victory was appalling, too many lives were lost, but Haig’s methods were in line with the ideas of the time. The war would not have been won without the sacrifice of soldiers and they and the British public knew this, however acceptance was more difficult. If given his time again, Haig may have listened more to his peers and accepted advice and criticism, failure to adapt battle plans was his biggest flaw. 32  Agreement Disagreement Judgement 33 Question C c) Extract C suggests that the criticisms of Haig for the Somme campaign were unfair. How far do you agree with this interpretation? Use Extract C, sources A and B and your own knowledge to explain your answer. (16 marks) Extract C: From a modern world history textbook, written in 2000 Haig has been heavily criticised for the Somme campaign, which cost so many lives and saw so few gains. However, many historians feel that this is unfair. German accounts from the time show how the German army was seriously weakened by the Allied attack. The Germans called off their Verdun offensive in September 1916 and remained on the defensive throughout 1917. The Somme also saw the introduction of new tactics that were to prove decisive in 1918. What do you think you need to do to be successful on this question? Your answer needs to show that you understand how the sources and extract support AND challenge the interpretation given. You must use the sources and extract in your answer by selecting key quotations as evidence. You must also use your own knowledge (contextual knowledge) in your answer. DO NOT write everything you know about the topic – select parts of your own knowledge that are directly relevant to the interpretation in the question. An overall judgment should be given on the extent to which the interpretation can be supported. Plan your answer out briefly - this will ensure that it is logical and clearly structured. Save 24 minutes for this question - remember it is worth 16 marks! 34 Remember - SOUR! 1) Support 2) Oppose 3) Use own knowledge 4) Reach a judgement Mark Scheme 35 Give me…. 5 - Battles of the Western Front 4 - Causes of WW1 (long and short term) 3 - Features of a trench 2 - Revolting facts about trench life 1 - Criticism of Haig 36 Week 9 Explore 2: Applying the knowledge: Exam practice! c) Extract C suggests that the criticisms of Haig for the Somme campaign were unfair. How far do you agree with this interpretation? Use Extract C, sources A and B and your own knowledge to explain your answer. (16 marks) Source A: Haig writing in 1919 In the course of the struggle, losses are bound to be heavy on both sides, soldiers signed up knowing that they may give their lives for their country. For this, victory is given, and the aims of the battles were achieved. My orders and tactics were thoroughly considered, unchallenged and carried out to the end. There is no way of avoiding loss of life, although our total losses may have been greater than were to be expected. Source B – A journalist writing in 1919 If the criteria of a successful general is to win wars, Haig must be judged a success. His perseverance and continuation of sending troops into battle broke the enemy into submission. The cost of victory was appalling, too many lives were lost, but Haig’s methods were in line with the ideas of the time. The war would not have been won without the sacrifice of soldiers and they and the British public knew this, however acceptance was more difficult. If given his time again, Haig may have listened more to his peers and accepted advice and criticism, failure to adapt battle plans was his biggest flaw. Extract C: From a modern world history textbook, written in 2000 Haig has been heavily criticised for the Somme campaign, which cost so many lives and saw so few gains. However, many historians feel that this is unfair. German accounts from the time show how the German army was seriously weakened by the Allied attack. The Germans called off their Verdun offensive in September 1916 and remained on the defensive throughout 1917. The Somme also saw the introduction of new tactics that were to prove decisive in 1918. 37 Be clear on what the ‘interpretation is: That criticisms of Haig for the Somme campaign were unfair. In what ways do the sources, extract and your In what ways do the sources and what what you know AGREE with this interpretation? you know DISAGREE with this interpretation? Judgement: How far do you agree with the interpretation? 38 How do we organise our answer? Paragraph 1: Introduction, state your overall judgement Overall, I …… (state if you agree/disagree etc) with the interpretation that……..(identify the interpretation here). Keep this brief! Paragraph 2: Support the interpretation Extract C suggests that …. (Explain how extract C supports this interpretation and use a quotation to back this up) Source A agrees with the interpretation as it comments how (explain how Source A supports this interpretation and use a quotation to back this up) Source B also supports the interpretation as it agrees that…… (explain how Source B supports this interpretation and use a quotation to back this up) From my own knowledge I know that…. (Use your own knowledge about this topic to explain why you agree with this interpretation. Only use information that is relevant) Paragraph 3: Oppose the interpretation However, there are aspects of the interpretation that I, the sources and extract disagree with. Extract C suggests that …. (Explain how extract C opposes this interpretation and use a quotation to back this up) For example, Source A disagrees with the interpretation as it comments how (explain how Source A opposes this interpretation and use a quotation to back this up) Source B also challenges this interpretation as it suggests that…… (explain how Source B opposes this interpretation and use a quotation to back this up) 39 From my own knowledge I disagree with the interpretation because … (use your own knowledge about this topic to explain why you oppose this interpretation. Only use information that is relevant) Paragraph 4 Reach a judgement Overall, I partially/fully/completely agree with the extract about……… because……… Please note sometimes the extract or the sources don’t support AND oppose the interpretation. They will either support or oppose it. Model Answer 1 Label the model answer below to show what the different paragraphs are for, where the writer had referred to the extract, sources and own knowledge. (c) Extract C suggests that the criticisms of Haig for the Somme campaign were unfair. How far do you agree with this interpretation? Use Extract C, Sources A and B and your own knowledge to explain your answer. (16 marks) Overall, I agree that the criticisms that Haig has received over the Battle What does this of the Somme are largely ‘unfair’ and should be challenged. However, this paragraph do? does not mean that Haig is totally without blame for the mistakes that were What is its made during the battle and which ultimately resulted in the huge numbers purpose? of dead and wounded. Extract C suggests that the criticisms of Haig have been ‘unfair’ given that What does this the Somme achieved several of its main objectives. Extract C refers to how paragraph do? the ‘Germans called off their Verdun offensive in September 1916’. Can you Furthermore, Extract C mentions how the’ German army was seriously highlight weakened’ at the Somme. Extract C also claims that ‘new tactics’ were examples of introduced at the Somme which were to ‘prove decisive in 1918’. Source A this? also agrees with this interpretation as it claims that the ‘aims of the battle were achieved’. Source B also supports the interpretation, highlighting the accomplishments of Haig as it claims that ‘if the criteria of a successful 40  general is to win wars, Haig must be judged a success’. It also highlights how the Somme and Haig weakened the German army by breaking the enemy into submission’. From my own knowledge I also know that the need to draw German troops away from Verdun and relieve the pressure on the French had been a key aim of the Somme offensive without which France might have fallen. We know that the German army lost some of its best soldiers at the Somme, many of whom were replaced with less experienced men which significantly affected Germany’s ability to fight from 1916 onward. During the Somme the creeping barrage was used successfully, and tanks were also used for the first time. Although these were ineffective at the Somme they were later used with great success, for example at the Battle of Cambrai However, there are aspects of this interpretation that I disagree with. As What does this Extract C acknowledges the Somme campaign ‘cost so many lives and saw so paragraph do? few gains’. In Source A Haig himself admits that losses were ‘bound to be Can you heavy’ and that ‘our total losses may have been greater than were to be highlight expected.’ This is also clear in Source B which claims, ‘the cost of the examples of victory was appalling’. Source B also highlights other key failings of Haig this? such as his reluctance to accept ‘advice and criticism’ from his peers and his ‘failure to adapt battle plans when necessary’. From my own knowledge I know that the Battle of the Somme saw 420,000 British casualties and only moved the front line approximately 5 miles forward. I also know that the first day of the battle resulted in 57,000 British troops killed or injured. In conclusion, I largely agree with the interpretation as many of the What is the criticisms of Haig are unfair. Haig used the battle tactics available at the purpose of this time and achieved the key objective of relieving the pressure on the French. paragraph.? As a result of the Battle of the Somme the German army suffered serious Can you losses in men and expertise from which they arguable never recovered. highlight However, the slaughter witness during the battle and the small amount of examples of land gain mean that certain criticism of Haig and his tactics are justified. this? 41 Model Answer 2 - Own knowledge ‘sprinkled through’ the answer Overall, I agree that the criticisms that Haig has received over the Battle of the Somme are largely ‘unfair’ and should be challenged. However, this does not mean that Haig is totally without blame for the mistakes that were made during the battle and which ultimately resulted in the appalling numbers of dead and wounded. Extract C suggests that the criticism of Haig has been ‘unfair’ given that the Somme achieved several of its main objectives. Extract C refers to how the ‘Germans called off their Verdun offensive in September 1916’. The need to draw German troops away from Verdun and relieve the pressure on the French had been a key aim of the Somme offensive without which France might have fallen. Furthermore, Extract C mentions how the’ German army was seriously weakened’ at the Somme. We know that the German army lost some of its best soldiers at the Somme, many of whom were replaced with less experienced men which significantly affected Germany’s ability to fight from 1916 onward. Extract C also claims that ‘new tactics’ were introduced at the Somme which were to ‘prove decisive in 1918’. During the Somme the creeping barrage was used successfully, and tanks were also used for the first time. Although these were ineffective at the Somme they were later used with great success, for example at the Battle of Cambrai. Source A also agrees with this interpretation as it claims that the ‘aims of the battle were achieved’. Source B also supports the interpretation, highlighting the accomplishments of Haig as it claims that ‘if the criterion of a successful general is to win wars, Haig must be judged a success. It also highlights how the Somme and Haig weakened the German army by breaking ‘the enemy into submission’. Source B also states that Haig’s methods were ‘in line with the ideas of the time’. The idea that the war would be won by the side which could keep supplying men and weapons was one which was believed by many at the time. None of the military leaders had any experience of trench warfare on this scale and the tactics of attrition warfare were used by both the French and the German forces. However, there are aspects of this interpretation that I disagree with. As Extract C acknowledges the Somme campaign ‘cost so many lives and saw so few gains’. The Battle of the Somme saw 420,000 British casualties and only moved the front line approximately 5 miles forward. In Source A Haig himself admits that losses were ‘bound to be heavy’ and that ‘our total losses may have been greater than were to be expected.’ This is also clear in Source B which claims, ‘the cost of the victory was appalling’. Source B also highlights other key failings 42  of Haig such as his reluctance to accept ‘advice and criticism’ from his peers and his ‘failure to adapt battle plans when necessary’. In Source A Haig claims that there was no other ‘way of avoiding loss of life’ and that his tactics were ‘thoroughly considered’. It is perhaps this reluctance to review and adapt and an over confidence in his techniques that helped to result in the slaughter witnessed on the first day of the battle which resulted in 57,000 British troops killed or injured. In conclusion, I largely agree with the interpretation as many of the criticisms of Haig are unfair. Haig used the battle tactics available at the time and achieved the key objective of relieving the pressure on the French. As a result of the Battle of the Somme the German army suffered serious losses in men and expertise from which they arguable never recovered. However, the slaughter witness during the battle and the small amount of land gain mean that certain criticism of Haig and his tactics are justified. ***Remember, this answer is a little longer than you would be expected to write in an exam*** Checklist: The Somme and Passchendaele Topics You should be able to: Done? Exam Questions Done? Describe the causes, Describe two key events and results of features of the Battle The Battle of the Battle of the of the Somme the Somme Somme. ‘The main reason for 1916 Give reasons why the the disaster on the battle could be first day of the considered a failure Somme was due to Give reasons why the German preparations.’ battle could be How far do you agree considered a success. with this interpretation? ‘The Battle of the Somme was a 43  complete disaster for the Allied forces. How far do you agree with this interpretation? The Battle of Describe the cause, Describe two key Passchendaele events and results of features of the Battle 1917 the Battle of of Passchendaele Passchendaele. Explain the main The main reason for reasons why the battle the failure of the was a failure. Battle of Passchendaele was due to poor weather conditions.’ Do you agree? The Role of Explain the evidence The main reason for Douglas Haig against Haig’s the British disasters leadership. on the Somme and Explain the evidence in Passchendaele was the defence of Haig’s poor leadership of leadership Douglas Haig.’ Do you agree? 44