The Somme - From Defeat to Victory

[BrotherSurplice]

Hey guys, found a great documentary on the Somme. I saw this on TV a few years ago, and found it on youtube today. Give it a watch, it's really informative.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1q-Q...eature=related

EDIT: B-Dizl, if you are watching this, you can see a Maxim gun with an ammo box on it in the 5th video.

[Garett20]

Great Documentary! +rep

[Aanker]

It may have disabled the Germans' ability to bleed out the French army at Verdun, but I still regard the Somme - based on a lot of other sources - as little more than a meatgrinder offensive that managed to achieve too little, for too high a cost. It was the British naval blockade that won the war, it forced the Germans into one, final gamble, and ultimately led to the abdication of the German Emperor.

[BrotherSurplice]

It may have disabled the Germans' ability to bleed out the French army at Verdun, but I still regard the Somme - based on a lot of other sources - as little more than a meatgrinder offensive that managed to achieve too little, for too high a cost. It was the British naval blockade that won the war, it forced the Germans into one, final gamble, and ultimately led to the abdication of the German Emperor.

True, the first German mutinies were in the navy.

[a tw player]

True, the first German mutinies were in the navy.

Indeed, the Kaiser ordered them to fight one last futile battle against the RN to try to break the blockade....They basically told him to stfu and scuttled their ships

Interesting documentary though, seen it about a year ago and it's very informative

For me personally I believe the offensive was ridiculous and had little strategic benefit, as it was actually planned anyway...However, it did have the effect of bringing the large British Army up to WW1 standards (the elite BEF was superb, but the scale of the war required this largely to be diluted) in terms of tactics and simply had no experience of how to use all that new technology on a large scale; The Somme made the army learn, but the hard way. I suppose it did also save the French's skin too, but at too high a cost

I've been to Thiepval (in addition to Ypres, Vimy Ridge and the general area from there to the Somme) and I would highly recommend anyone to go and see; it's a sombre experience but really brings into real terms what actually happened.

[Aanker]

So, in a sense, naval power - and the dreadnaught - won the war.

[a tw player]

So, in a sense, naval power - and the dreadnaught - won the war.

You could say that yes Basically once it became clear that Germany would not be able to win a quick war (post Marne), a naval blockade could really show it's bite over time, coupled with the fact that Germany simply had less manpower than the Entente meaning a loss in a war of attrition would be inevitable

[BrotherSurplice]

So, in a sense, naval power - and the dreadnaught - won the war.

That. Is. AWESOME.

[B-DizL]

Hey guys, found a great documentary on the Somme. I saw this on TV a few years ago, and found it on youtube today. Give it a watch, it's really informative.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1q-Q...eature=related

EDIT: B-Dizl, if you are watching this, you can see a Maxim gun with an ammo box on it in the 5th video.

Thanks but unfortunately that is the light version of the german mg

[BrotherSurplice]

Thanks but unfortunately that is the light version of the german mg

Well, there's your model for when you do the LMG units.

[B-DizL]

Yup thats true