| The Battle of the Somme – Its Significance |
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Truthful assessment is based on factual interpretation The public feeling about the long-winded and indecisive events that transpired at the Somme is generally molded by the disaster of the first day. Indignation at the "meaningless" sacrifice of tens of thousands, wounded and dead in one day, on the altar of "ignorance" has stifled a more composed consideration of the tragedy. To focus attention or fault it all on the inefficiency of the commanders is a narrow and unsound assessment. We need to know what compelling situations may have determined the inevitability of events as they happened, and only from there to arrive at the real import that martyrdom has for history and humanity. What is generally overlooked by general sentiment is that the operation was not a well devised one. It was a premature and much debated deployment of British troops in response to the surprise attacks launched by Germany at Verdun. Additionally, the First World War came at a time when technology was overhauling traditional human life. The war strategies and training successfully employed in the past proved to be inadequate for handling the innovations of military engineering resulting in either unintentional propagation or unwanted mitigation of damage. It was a scenario of "too much" or "too little."
A considerable setback for the allies was that the place where the assault was chosen (by the French) to take place had not seen military action for two years. In that time the Germans had taken the opportunity to strengthen their defenses, train their people and improve their weaponry (Teal. 6th Batallion Royal Berkshire Regiment The Somme – 1st July, 1916. Background.) The British were to take on an exceptionally well fortified and mightily armed section of the German front.
There were no provisions for quarters, not many civilian volunteers or viable means of transportation in the area because the nature and location of the terrain were not suited to building and maintaining military encampments. Somme was an agricultural area with small dirt roads that became soggy and slippery with rain. They were unconducive to transporting the heavy machinery and the bulky equipment and supplies that were needed by the British soldiers. Therefore the soldiers themselves undertook the onerous task of constructing railways, water systems, shelters and stock rooms, cutting considerable time from their tactical training and contributing to their exhaustion in order to do this (Baker. The Long Long Trail.)
Being an open field, the terrain provided scant camouflage from unfriendly eyes while construction work was being undertaken. The Germans had information of the extent and the kind of preparation the British were undertaking as well as what assault power they were contemplating to use for the attack. This provided stimulus for further reinforcing their defenses, deepening their trenches and improving their battle gear (Pollock. The Battle of the Somme.) and was crucial in lengthening the agony of that battle.
The bombing was miscalculated The firm conviction of General Haig that heavy bombardment would establish critical breaks in the enemies wires and entrenchment was drawn from the successful penetration by the allies into the German camp at Loos in September, 1915. The fact that the planned shelling of the Somme would be far heavier than that at Loos removed all doubts from the mind of the British commander that, their encampment devastated, the Germans would be immobilized after it was over. But General Haig had not calculated the fact that the extent and depth of his target was far bigger than even the increase in the number and power of their bombs (may of which were duds) could significantly affect.
The outcome The long-term results of the battle of Somme include the following: 1. The battle prevented Germany from occupying Verdun and eventually perhaps the whole of France. 2. Allied forces regained some portion, albeit small, of German occupied lands. 3. In the process of pushing back the German camp, the allies dealt a huge blow to the morale of the Germans. 4. The huge losses in human lives which far outweighed any military advantages gained during the battle was a clear sign that new developments in war technology had by that time out-classed military techniques resulting in the clumsiness and indecisiveness of operations not only at Somme but characteristically in the entire First World War.
Working against time and great exigency, burdened by outdated military strategies which were ineffective in a battle utilizing novel technology, devoid of consummate training and led on by the struggle between ideologies that had no direct impact on them except as it affected their leaders, the protagonists at the Somme stood, with only themselves to depend on, at a timely point in history which marked the beginning of the movement of mankind into the millennium of scientific growth, social awareness and equality. By the end of that fateful day they would be stripped of everything but their souls and the triumph of having fulfilled their immediate purpose. But the real value of their tragedy is in making a well-timed statement about two issues that would seriously affect mankind’s progress. 1. The uselessness of aggression - The horrors of protracted warfare as evidenced by the rest of the battle bring only one thing to mind. In the long run, aggression wears out both the aggressor and his enemy and produces no lasting resolution to conflicts.
2. The dangers of power - Their tragedy "shouted out" the need to bridle power (technology) with competent awareness (skill) and sympathy in the business of waging war as in living life; a point which, happily, is still remembered today as we move towards friendlier modes of resolving conflict and blurring the boundaries that serve to alienate friend from friend. It is very possible that the 1st of July 1916 may have contributed in large portion to actualizing the degree of security that we know today.
Works Cited Teal, Andy. 6th Batallion Royal Berkshire Regiment The Somme– 1st July, 1916. 6 Nov., 2009. http://www.6throyalberks.co.uk Baker, Chris. The Long, Long Trail. 6 Nov., 2009 http://www.1914-1918.net/bat15D.htm Pollock, Lucy. The Battle of the Somme. 6 Nov., 2009. http://www.johndclare.net/wwi2_Somme_Pollock.htm
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