Lloyd George's accounts of the Battle of the Somme - source related study.

During the time source I was written, during the battle Lloyd George had visited the battlefield therefore this may suggest it is more truthful. Though at the time Lloyd George probably only saw a small proportion of what was happening on the battlefield and could not possibly know the full extent of the events on the actual battlefield. On the first day of the battle 57,000 men were killed, so how could he say that it was a success and comment about Haigs "skill" if he had actually seen everything that had happened on the battlefield. Also during this time Lloyd George was the secretary of war, this means that he was in charge of supplying the army and liaising with generals, in particular Haig, and the prime minister. This may show that Lloyd George may only be showing the good points of what he saw. So the government and public would think the troops were being successful, furthermore the morale between the troops and the public back in England at this time was very high as they had high hopes the offensive would be a success. So this may show that Lloyd George is saying that the battle is a success so that not to let the public down and keep morale high between the troops and in Britain, also Haig had not long bin appointed so Lloyd George may not have wanted to put him down as he had not bin doing the job for long. These may be some of the reason why source I differs so much from source J.

When source J was written it was the 1930's and many years after the war so therefore Lloyd George would have a greater access to information and would have knowledge of the whole battlefield and its events and not just the part he would of visited during the battle of the Somme. Additionally, Lloyd George was no longer the secretary of war he had been the Prime minister twice since 1917, therefore he may also be thinking about his reputation. However, source J was extracted from his war memoirs and he may be looking back over his life and the war expressing his true feelings about it. When Lloyd George wrote his memoirs many years after the battle he had nothing to lose by telling the truth and this may be why source J is so different from source I, as during the time of the battle Lloyd George may be writing in such a way as to keep not only Haig happy but the Prime minister and the public keeping hopes high for success, it would also keep the troops morale high. Although in a sense he had nothing to lose at this time either by telling the truth, so that is why I feel his lack of information had a great impact on the difference of the sources.

In conclusion, source I differs so much to source J because of Lloyd George's position of authority and his access to information. In the 1930's hw would have had a greater access to information and would know more about what happened on the battlefield because when he visited Haig most likely only showed him successful parts and not the unsuccessful. Also he was in a higher position and had to think of his reputation. When source I was written he was only the secretary of war and may only be showing the best things that he saw to impress the prime minister and public, he could not possibly see everything that happened on one visit to the battle of the Somme and it is more likely source J is more truthful, thus differing to source I.