The Battle of the Somme, fought between July and November of 1916, was one of the costliest and most traumatic conflicts of World War I. Its significance in shaping the course of the war and the fate of Europe cannot be overstated. The primary objective of the battle was to alleviate the pressure on the French army at Verdun, which had been under relentless attack by the Germans since February of that year. But the battle became much more than that, and the fighting would last for months with no clear victor.

The battle began with an unprecedented artillery barrage that hammered the German front lines for days before the British and French infantry advanced. The bombardment was meant to destroy the barbed wire and trenches of the enemy, making it easier for British and French soldiers to cross into no-man's-land. The shelling was so intense that it was heard in England, and the British hoped that it would pave the way for an easy victory.

Ernst Junger, a German soldier, reflected on his experiences of war in his memoir Storm of Steel, originally published in Germany in 1920 under the title In Stahlgewittern. In this poignant piece of work, Junger provided a vivid and detailed account of his time spent on the battlefield. He carefully documented the horrors he witnessed, the challenges he faced, and the enduring impact that these experiences had on him. Through a combination of powerful language and rich detail, Junger brought the realities of war to life, providing readers with a profound understanding of the devastating impact that conflict can have on the human psyche. Despite the challenges he faced, Junger emerged from the war with a deep sense of determination, courage, and resilience, qualities that would serve him well throughout the rest of his life. Junger writes: "Wounded men went down left and right in craters--we disregarded their cries for help. We went on, eyes implacably on the man in front, through a knee-high trench formed from a chain of enormous craters, one dead man after another. At moments, we felt our feet settling on soft, yeilding corpses, whose form we couldn't make out on account of the darkness." (Junger 2004, 96)

But on the morning of July 1, the British soldiers found out that nothing would be easy. As they emerged from their trenches and advanced towards the enemy lines, they were met with an unrelenting hail of machine gun and artillery fire. The losses were catastrophic, and the first day of the battle remains the deadliest in British military history. Over 57,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or went missing in action. It was a shocking loss, and one that set the tone for the rest of the battle.

The Battle of the Somme was unlike any other engagement up until its time. It was marked by new weapons, tactics and warfare. Tanks made their debut into battle (early models, which broke down at an alarming rate), and new weapons such as gas would be used in later battles of the war. The battle also saw the rise of trench warfare, which would define the rest of the conflict. The Allies hoped to break through German lines and push them back on their heels, but it became clear that the Germans were well-prepared and dug-in.

In fact, the Germans remained the dominant force for much of the battle. The British and French even struggled to gain a few measly hundred yards of ground, despite their best efforts and sheer numbers. The German army could also rely on the formidable nature of their concrete bunkers and trenches. These fortifications were some of the best in Europe, and they provided cover for German soldiers from the relentless artillery barrages. Peter Hart notes the courage of the German Army. He writes that "From start to finish they fought as heroes: their artillery engaging in a never-ending duel with the British and French artillery; the infantry stoically enduring the horrendous artillery bombardments liable to crash down on them at all times of the day and night only to emerge time after time to man their machine guns and fight to the death, or launch a desperate counter-attack to retrieve some lost trench or corpse." (Hart 2010, 533)

The Battle of the Somme would continue for months, with both sides suffering terrible casualties. It became an unceasing, exhausting cycle of attack and counterattack, with neither side achieving much of an advantage. The sheer scale of death and destruction was staggering, and it left an indelible mark on the psyche of Europe. Historian Peter Hart writes that "The overall British casualties during the battle are indeed, higher than any sane individual would like to comprehend at 419,654, of which some 131,000 were dead. To this should be added the 204,253 French casualties and the approximately 450,000-600,000 German casualties." (Hart 2010, 528)

Despite the heavy losses and disappointment, the Battle of the Somme did achieve some strategic objectives. The German army was forced to divert resources away from its relentless assault on Verdun, which had threatened to break the back of the French army. Furthermore, the Allies were able to refine their tactics and learn from the devastating losses. They would use these lessons in subsequent battles, leading to the eventual triumph of the Allied forces. - Scott Lyons

Bibliography:

Beckett, Ian F. The Great War: 1914-1918. London: Routledge, 2014.

Harris, J. P. Douglas Haig and the First World War. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Hart, Peter. The Somme: The Darkest Hour on The Western Front. New York: Pegasus Books, 2010.

Junger, Ernst. Storm of Steel: The Classic Memoir of World War I Combat. New York: Penguin Books, 2016.

Lloyd, Nick. The Western Front: A History of the Great War, 1914-1918. New York: Liveright Publishing, 2021.