The World Wars
The Battle of the Somme

The Battle of the Somme places this key battle of the First World War into the context of the course of the war as a whole, along with the course of the battle and its long-term consequences. It answers key questions such as: Why was the Somme Valley chosen for 'the great push'? Why did Sir Douglas Haig believe that the battle must be won at all costs? What inspired General Rawlinson to command his men to walk across no man's land on 1 July, resulting in 58, 000 allied casualties in a single day of fighting?

Panels explaining the role of key players and strategies are scattered throughout, as are fascinating photos and maps to illustrate this important part of British history.

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5	Information about the outbreak of the First World War in Europe from Spartacus.
5	A useful breakdown of the various causes of the First World War from the Schools History website.
11	Information about the stalemate in 1915 and the Battle of Ypres.
29	Some excellent contemporary quotations from those involved in the Somme campaign from Spartacus.
30	More information about the Battle of the Somme, which broke out on 1 July 1916.
34	An in-depth look at the chronology of the Battle of the Somme, including the number of casualties suffered.
38	An animated map of the Somme and other key battles of the First World War from the BBC website.
41	Information, maps and a photo gallery about the Eastern front during the First World War from the War Times Journal.
44	Information about the war in the air from Spartacus - including aircraft, flying aces and air forces.
47	Information about the role of Canadian forces in the Battle of the Somme.
49	Information about the role of the USA troops in the First World War from Spartacus.
50	Information and primary sources about the Spring Offensive of 1918 from Spartacus.
53	Articles from the Daily Mirror reporting on the Battle of the Somme - showing how it was portrayed at the time.
58	A directory of western front museums and commemorative sites with information about the war graves of men who died on the Somme.