Haig used 750,000 men against the German front-line. However, the bombardment failed to destroy either the barbed-wire or the concrete bunkers protecting the German soldiers. This meant that the Germans were able to exploit their good defensive positions on higher ground when the British and French troops attacked at 7.30 on the morning of the 1st July. The BEF suffered 58,000 casualties (a third of them killed), therefore making it the worse day in the history of the British Army.
Haig was not affected by these heavy losses on the first day and ordered General to continue making attacks on the German front-line. A night attack on 13th July did achieve a small breakthrough but German reinforcements arrived in time to close the gap. Haig believed that the Germans were close to the point of exhaustion and continued to order further attacks expected each one to achieve the necessary breakthrough.
With the winter weather deteriorating Haig now brought an end to the Somme offensive. Since the 1st July, the British has suffered 420,000 casualties. The French lost nearly 200,000 and it is estimated that German casualties were in the region of 500,000. Allied forces gained some land but it reached only 12km at its deepest points.
Many soldiers disregarded Haig because of his surroundings compared to theirs, they hated the fact he was in a safe comfortable chateau 30 km from the trenches, while they were in a muddy rat infested trenches for example a quote from a soldier fighting in Somme “While Haig slept in a cozy bed in a quiet country château and dined on the best available, his men lived in muddy, noisy trenches sharing their bully beef with big bloated rats. It apparently did not bother Haig that his war was so much comfortable than that of the men he commanded.”
They also disliked him they believed that too many were killed because of the stupidity of those in authority here is a quote from a soldier who fought at the Somme “It is horrible but why should people not know? The horror was indescribable . . . I want to tell so that Goldie and many others were murdered thought the stupidity of those in authority”
These quotes from the soldiers prove that Haig didn’t care about the well being of the soldiers that he just wanted recognition as a general.
Those in Britain thought the Somme was going to be “the big push “and they became very excited about the war. So in conclusion the British were unaware of the horrific happenings of the Somme. This meant that Haig was immediately (after the war) given the title of the butcher of the Somme.
The historians today are basically saying from both views that they think that General Haig was and wasn’t the butcher of the Somme. …’the outcome of the battle of the Somme was atrocious, but the battle plan was well thought out, even though some the aspects didn’t work…’ this quote me realize that even though General Haig came up with a battle plan it doesn’t prove that he is a good general. The historians helped me believe this, but some of it is Secondary information so we cannot be certain.
On the whole General Haig can be seen as the butcher of the Somme. But I actually believe that there are many ways to prove this wrong. From all my information I can see that he might have been judged the butcher; but no one else could have come up with the plan. However he did not regard the soldiers who died and also he could have thought the plan out better before putting into action. In conclusion he does deserve the title ‘butcher of the Somme’ because all those people that died on the first day didn’t deserve to die. He could have stopped the battle; but he kept on going wasting thousands of lives. Concluding in the British Army’s biggest loss of men.