Did the Battle of the Somme contribute to the allied victory in the First World War?

Did the Battle of the Somme contribute to the allied victory in the First World War?

The conclusion to the First World War was the armistice in 1918. The allies were victorious. The question that needs to be asked is if, how and to what an extent the Battle of the Somme in 1916 contributed and helped this victory. The popular view is that the Somme may have hindered the allies in their quest for victory and that in no way was the Somme a major factor in the allied victory. However, it can be argued that the Somme was an integral and crucial part leading up to the armistice in 1918.

It can be argued that the Somme was an indirect cause of the allied victory. The combined pressures of the Somme, Verdun and the War at Sea (the blockade and naval war) lead to desperation manoeuvres by the Germans, such as the Spring Offensive and more importantly ‘Unrestricted U-boat warfare. After the Somme, they had concluded that they could not win the war on the Western Front. This decision had severe implications on Germany. There was the potential now for attacks to be launched on U.S. ships, causing a loss in American lives. Germany must have known that a threat on American lives could bring America into the war. This illustrates the desperation of the Germans as a result of the Somme. As the Germans feared, this was the significant factor into American entry into the war. This had a enormous psychological effect on Germany. America had the potential for an army far greater than any other. They had to concede defeat. The Somme was instrumental in this chain of events that led to the German defeat.