Ep 5. The Somme

The First World War: The War To End All Wars season 1 episode 5, titled "The Somme," covers one of the most infamous battles of the First World War, fought between Allied forces and the German army from July to November 1916. The episode delves into the lead up to the battle, its planning and execution, and the devastating aftermath.

The episode begins with an overview of the stalemate that had developed on the Western Front by 1916. Both sides had been fighting for over two years without significant breakthroughs, and new strategies were needed to gain an advantage. The British launched a plan to break through the German lines with a massive offensive near the Somme river in northern France.

The planning for the Somme offensive was complex and involved a significant amount of preparation. The episode covers these preparations in detail, including the digging of an extensive network of trenches and tunnels and the installation of a vast array of artillery. The British believed that a week-long bombardment of the German lines prior to the attack would soften them up and make the job of the infantry much easier.

The episode then moves to the day of the attack, July 1, 1916. The British army launched their assault with great confidence, expecting to break through the German lines within hours. However, things did not go according to plan. The German trenches had been fortified with thick concrete and barbed wire, which meant that many British soldiers were mowed down by machine gun fire and artillery as they attempted to cross no man's land. The episode shows the brutal reality of the battle as troops became bogged down in the mud and suffered under the relentless German artillery.

The episode features interviews with historians and eyewitness accounts from soldiers on both sides, which help to paint a vivid picture of the battle. One of the most striking things about the episode is the sheer scale of the casualties. Over 60,000 British soldiers were killed, wounded, or went missing in action on the first day alone. The episode highlights the devastating impact this had on communities back home in the UK, where news of the scale of the losses began to filter through.

Despite the huge loss of life, the episode shows how the British army refused to accept defeat and continued to launch wave after wave of attacks throughout the summer and into the autumn. The episode covers the various tactics employed by both sides, including the use of gas and tanks, as the battle dragged on.

Ultimately, the Somme offensive would prove to be a failure for the British army. They were unable to break through the German lines, and the battle would end up dragging on for another four months. The episode concludes by looking at the lasting impact of the battle, both in terms of its effect on the men who fought and the wider impact on the First World War as a whole.

Overall, "The Somme" is a powerful and informative episode that covers one of the key moments of the First World War. It provides a fascinating insight into the planning and execution of the battle and the devastating impact it had on those involved.