General Haig and the battle of the somme Essay Example

been fighting for over 5 months and already losing at the battle of Verdun. This is corroborated in source Bi where Sir William Robinson, a senior General in the British army, emphasized on the necessity of relieving pressure on the French army at Verdun. The main objective of the British army at the Somme was to eliminate as many Germans as possible through strategic maneuvers to hold key positions. General Haig confirmed this objective in his instructions to his commanders at the battle of the Somme where he outlined plans to turn Pozieres Ridge into a stronghold against enemy troops and, if necessary, transfer their efforts elsewhere on the British front. The achievement of these two primary objectives is notable despite some shortfalls.

3. In my opinion, both sources serve a purpose, but I find source H to be more credible. This is because it originates from an eyewitness who witnessed the events firsthand, rather than relying on photographs that have been manipulated or staged like those in source I. Nearly half of the photographs in source I were taken five miles away from the front line and lack the authenticity of true trench warfare imagery. It's evident in the images that Source I's trenches are not deep enough, lack duck boards and there are no dugouts to provide the soldiers with cover - all of which question its reliability. During battle, soldiers were burdened with heavy backpacks as they were instructed to walk across 'no man's land' without being shot, which makes it impossible for infantrymen in source I to not have backpacks on. Hence, there is a possibility that source I could be fake

altogether, making it less trustworthy than source H.

However, on the other hand, source H is based on the recollections of an elderly man attempting to recall an event from 55 years ago. This raises doubts about its reliability. Conversely, while the brief text in source H provides limited details about the battle, source I's picture is worth a thousand words. Yet, source H may still be considered reliable as it accurately reflects an honest memory of a vivid life experience. Therefore, I believe that source H is more trustworthy than a film designed to entertain audiences. Additionally, General Haig demonstrated excellent leadership skills before the Somme. This is evident from his victories in India and the Battle of Ypres in France with the B.

On December 22, 1915, General Haig was promoted to control the British army in France after leading the E.F. However, his command of the battle of the Somme earned him the unflattering title "the butcher of the Somme." Although he did not want to fight this battle, he was forced to due to German breakthroughs and French losses at Verdun. As a cavalryman lacking infantry warfare experience, his failure became apparent when his plans for removing barbed wire failed as it instead lifted up and tangled further from bombing. The lack of communication with his troops was evident when a scout troop saw "barbed wire neatly rowed and untouched," but General Haig dismissed their concerns as cowardice - contributing to his perceived arrogance and ultimate downfall.

General Haig sent a message to his troops in source E on June 30th, 1916, the day before the attack, stating that the barbed wire had never

been better cut and the artillery preparation had never been more thorough. However, this message could be propaganda, which displays the general's arrogance and is not a good quality for a leader of the British army. Additionally, Haig lacked knowledge of the German trenches and British artillery. If he had sent spies or other expeditionary forces to the battle of Somme, he would have discovered that the Germans had dug themselves in deeply with concrete parts in their line, making them twice as efficient as the British trenches, which were purposely made uncomfortable by the British high command. The British shells themselves were also insufficient to penetrate German defenses, with one-third of them failing to explode.

According to Haig’s belief, the Germans were completely destroyed. Thus, he instructed his men to cross no man’s land where they were killed by German machine gunners who emerged from their heavily fortified trenches. General Haig’s reputation is still up for debate – some believe him to be a hero while others consider him a butcher. However, he was an established and accomplished member of the British army who had won battles in all corners of the world with his cavalry. When warfare changed and tactics were no longer about cavalry, but rather infantry, Haig was in charge of the whole western front despite having no experience with infantry. His tactics during the battle of the Somme failed and he was ridiculed for his orders. However, in later deliberation, this battle could have played a crucial role in winning the war for the allied forces. As a well-ranked general, Haig did his job the best he knew how but times

had changed too much for the horse riding cavalry men. He must not be remembered as neither a butcher nor a hero, but rather as a historical figure who adapted to changing times.