How the 144 days of horror started?
The Battle of the Somme started on July 1st 1916. It lasted until November 1916. For many people, the Battle of the Somme was the battle that symbolised the horrors of warfare in World War One. The battle was fought between Britain and France against the German Empire. For nearly two years since the Battle of Marne, the two sides have been engaged in trench warfare along the western front. The front had hardly moved. The British and the French were planning a major offensive attack at the Somme in hopes of breaking the stalemate and pushing the Germans out of France. However, their plans were changed when the Germans went on the offensive and attacked the French at the Battle of Verdun. French troops were sent to Verdun to hold off the Germans. The French also demanded that the British push up the attack at the Somme from August 1st to July 1st in hopes that German forces would be diverted from Verdun to the Somme. By the end of the battle, the British Army had suffered 420,000 casualties including nearly 60,000 on the first day alone. The French lost 200,000 men and the Germans nearly 500,000.
Source:
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-one/battles-of-world-war-one/the-battle-of-the-somme/
http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_i/battle_of_the_somme.php
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-one/battles-of-world-war-one/the-battle-of-the-somme/
http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_i/battle_of_the_somme.php