The World Wars: The Battle Of The Somme

Of all the battles of World War I, the Battle of the Somme is best remembered for its extraordinary duration in pursuit of minimal gains, for the hardships suffered by the troops in the trenches, and, most of all, for the appalling casualties suffered by the British Army on the first day, 1 July 1916.

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 Henry 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?

This book places the battle into the context of the Great War as a whole, and examines the course of the battle and its long-term consequences - for the outcome of the war, and for European society in general.