The next source, Source E, is a cartoon which is criticising Generals in the war. Some background information is that most Generals were middle ranking ones, and chosen as an easy option, not because of their capabilities usually. Another fact was that the Generals would be with their men during practise, but not during the real thing. This is a criticism. A quote from the source was “there are three essential differences… (Between a rehearsal and the real thing)… first the absence of the enemy… what is the second difference?... The absence of the General, Sir.” This does not show much confidence or reliability in the Generals. People in Britain would read Source E, and see the criticism of upper class citizens, who do no work, and lower class citizens who do all the work. People in Britain would be starting to criticise the Somme themselves as they know more about it. This cartoon was published in February 1917, when not many people knew what went on in the war. It does not specifically mention Haig, although people would jump to conclusions and blame him, in both his time and ours. Our opinions are shaped from the past so we do not change them.
As a summary, they do have some use for a historian as it shows some fact in which we know today, although the rest of it is purely made up or emphasised.
Battle of the Somme coursework- Question 4
This question asks me to study Sources F, G and H, and to say whether Sources G and H prove that Source F is wrong. I shall start by explaining each source with background information. Source F comes from a resource book and it is calling Haig a murderer, “sent men to their deaths.” The Germans once said that the British were lions led by donkeys, this is also used in the source: “Haig was as stubborn as a donkey and as unthinking as a donkey.” When the Source says “the principle that guided him…” it was talking about the concept of attrition, as in that if he killed more Germans than the Germans could kill his men, people would get killed, although if he had more soldiers, he would still have some soldiers left. This was proven to work, not morally, but physically, in the figures shown (these were taken in the five months between July the 1st and November 20th?):
German loss= 650 000 (approx.)
British Empire loss= 480 000 (approx.)
Therefore, in theory, the British had a victory. You cannot tell whether this source is true or not as it is the writer’s opinion, not facts. If he had elaborated his quotes with facts, this would be easier to evaluate.