Source Work : The War On the Western Front
.Source A and B are different. A describes how ineffective the use of artillery was at the Somme. The second shows the effect artillery use has made. The photograph was taken in September 1916 most probably at the Somme. As it was the largest and most important battle of that time. To decide how reliable the sources are a number of aspects need to be considered. The purpose, Source A is taken from an educational textbook examining Britain at War. It does not deal directly with the issue of Artillery Bombardment. The writer has probably gathered evidence about artillery bombardment at the Somme and written a generalisation about its effects. It is clear the writer had access to information about bombardment as the piece contains lots of details about the tactics used in artillery bombing. The photograph shows the successful use of artillery there are also some aspects to consider, why was the picture taken, probably to be used as propaganda to the British people and other soldiers in the battle. It was obviously published or the picture wouldn't have been taken. It is a prime example of success that the allies needed to boast moral. From my own knowledge the best way to destroy barbed wire placed by the Germans was to use heavy Guns. But unless it was a direct hit it wouldn't normally destroy it completely. Source B was obviously a direct hit. The tactics used in artillery bombardment must have been the best way to destroy the barbed wire and the most successful or a another way would have had been used. Source A must have been based on many unsuccessful bombardment missions or the source wouldn't have been written in such a negative way. I consider that neither one sources is more reliable as they were written and taken for different reasons, at different places at times when bombardment was successful and in others it was ineffective.
2.Seigfried Sassoon was a solider in the war until 1914 as he was wounded and sent home. He returned and later he fought at the Battle of the Somme. Sassoon would of met and chatted with many fellow soldiers from all different backgrounds everyday. There must have been an over whelming feeling that commanders were incompetent for Sassoon to write this piece. Other evidence does suggest that the commanders didn't know what they were doing. Most were raised and fought in the Boer war. Such advanced equipment like guns and tanks hadn't been developed then and the commanders probably weren't sure what to do, with this new technology. As more evidence there is a well-known joke about how the officers were more concerned with filling their cocktail cabinets that were miles behind the allied lines. So Sassoon most probably did base his poem on the bad commanders, as there is enough evidence to suggest they were. But on the other hand Sassoon could of hated one particular commander and have wanted to write the poem to make a particular point. As he was a well-respected writer I don't think Sassoon would have just written his own views or he wouldn't of been a respected writer. The feeling of the poem is a generalisation about mostly all the commanders who came up with words for moral but knowing sending their men to their death. As they didn't know what else to do. There for it can be perceived that this is an accurate representation of the commanders in the trench's at that time.
.Source A and B are different. A describes how ineffective the use of artillery was at the Somme. The second shows the effect artillery use has made. The photograph was taken in September 1916 most probably at the Somme. As it was the largest and most important battle of that time. To decide how reliable the sources are a number of aspects need to be considered. The purpose, Source A is taken from an educational textbook examining Britain at War. It does not deal directly with the issue of Artillery Bombardment. The writer has probably gathered evidence about artillery bombardment at the Somme and written a generalisation about its effects. It is clear the writer had access to information about bombardment as the piece contains lots of details about the tactics used in artillery bombing. The photograph shows the successful use of artillery there are also some aspects to consider, why was the picture taken, probably to be used as propaganda to the British people and other soldiers in the battle. It was obviously published or the picture wouldn't have been taken. It is a prime example of success that the allies needed to boast moral. From my own knowledge the best way to destroy barbed wire placed by the Germans was to use heavy Guns. But unless it was a direct hit it wouldn't normally destroy it completely. Source B was obviously a direct hit. The tactics used in artillery bombardment must have been the best way to destroy the barbed wire and the most successful or a another way would have had been used. Source A must have been based on many unsuccessful bombardment missions or the source wouldn't have been written in such a negative way. I consider that neither one sources is more reliable as they were written and taken for different reasons, at different places at times when bombardment was successful and in others it was ineffective.
2.Seigfried Sassoon was a solider in the war until 1914 as he was wounded and sent home. He returned and later he fought at the Battle of the Somme. Sassoon would of met and chatted with many fellow soldiers from all different backgrounds everyday. There must have been an over whelming feeling that commanders were incompetent for Sassoon to write this piece. Other evidence does suggest that the commanders didn't know what they were doing. Most were raised and fought in the Boer war. Such advanced equipment like guns and tanks hadn't been developed then and the commanders probably weren't sure what to do, with this new technology. As more evidence there is a well-known joke about how the officers were more concerned with filling their cocktail cabinets that were miles behind the allied lines. So Sassoon most probably did base his poem on the bad commanders, as there is enough evidence to suggest they were. But on the other hand Sassoon could of hated one particular commander and have wanted to write the poem to make a particular point. As he was a well-respected writer I don't think Sassoon would have just written his own views or he wouldn't of been a respected writer. The feeling of the poem is a generalisation about mostly all the commanders who came up with words for moral but knowing sending their men to their death. As they didn't know what else to do. There for it can be perceived that this is an accurate representation of the commanders in the trench's at that time.
