Who was the offensive in the battle of the Somme?
More than three million men fought in the battle and one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the deadliest battles in human history. The French and British had committed themselves to an offensive on the Somme during the Chantilly Conference in December 1915.
What was the plan of the Somme offensive?
The battle plan involved the British attacking on a 15 mile front to north of the Somme with five French divisions attacking along an 8 mile front to the south of the Somme.
What was the purpose of the Somme offensive?
Battle of the Somme: The aim was to relieve the French army fighting at Verdun and to weaken the German army. In total, there were over one million dead and wounded on all sides, including 420,000 British casualties, about 200,000 from France, and an estimated 465,000 from Germany.
How long was Somme offensive?
five months
The Battle of the Somme lasted nearly five months The offensive began on 1 July 1916 after a week-long artillery bombardment of the German lines. Advancing British troops found that the German defences had not been destroyed as expected and many units suffered very high casualties with little progress.
What happened July 1st 1916?
The first day of the Battle of the Somme, in northern France, was the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army and one of the most infamous days of World War One. On 1 July 1916, the British forces suffered 57,470 casualties, including 19,240 fatalities. They gained just three square miles of territory.
Why did Russia leave the war ww1?
Russia withdrew from World War I because the Bolsheviks, who had promised the Russian people “peace, land, and bread,” came to power after overthrowing the provisional government. This provisional government, headed by moderates, had seized power from Tsar Nicholas, forcing him to abdicate in March of 1917.
