Contents:
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Weapons Used in The Battle of the Somme.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Strategies used in the Battle of the Somme………………….………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
How the Battle of the Somme influenced World War 2………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Conclusion.……………….……………………………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5
Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6
Introduction:
During the Battle of the Somme, there was a variety of weapons and tactics were used, since the battle was such …show more content…
The offensive they launched incorporated many artillery barrages, troops with rifles and new weapons like tanks. The British plan was to capture as much ground as fast as possible, starting with a huge artillery barrage which due to the bad conditions the artillery did not work. There were three types of barrages; a box barrage which surrounded the target and cut off command and supplies, A point-barrage which was aimed at taking out a sniper or machine gun post and a search barrage which included help or the air force who would spot the enemies headquarters, ammunition stores or opposing artillery batteries. The information would then be passed onto the artillery commander and the barrage would destroy the target, seriously damaging the enemy. However, the British were not so fortunate, the bad condition caused many of the artillery shells did not explode and a part of the barrage missed the German line. When the British then tried to storm the Germans, and push them back they found a mostly unharmed German army with machine guns ready. “The British had suffered 60,000 casualties with 20,000 deaths and sixty per cent of all officers were also killed leaving a lack of leadership” (Northumbria University, 2013) the strategy was ultimately ineffective and had to be changed. After 4 months of bloody battle, the Brit Sir Douglas Haig called a halt and ended the battle of the Somme. The Germans had held of the British offensive and the battle, in the end, was not a