1 Lecture 4: The Western Front, 1915: The problems of trench warfare

2 Lecture aims To introduce the historians’ debate on the British Army’s performance on the Western Front. To examine the reasons for British failure on the Western Front in 1915.

3 The topic’s importance The Western Front was the most decisive front of the whole war. The early failure to achieve breakthrough, and the later achievement ensured, respectively, that the war would continue, and that it would end. Because of the loss of human life involved, the debate over why there was a failure to achieve breakthrough sooner remains extremely emotive.

4 Lecture themes The British Army on the Western Front: the debate The challenges of trench warfare the British Army encountered Overview of the Western Front, 1915 Case studies of the British Army in action, 1915

5 The British Army on the Western Front: the debate over the reasons for failure Clark, Laffin: “donkeys” in charge Travers: restrictions of pre-war tactical thinking in face of “firepower revolution” Sheffield: practical difficulties fighting new kind of war Backdrop of 1915: –Germans defending in west, Allies attacking –Affected nature of each side’s trenches

6 The functional problems of trench warfare (1): communications Destroying enemy artillery meant pinpointing it Communication problems hindered this as well as general attack Specific problems: –Telephones cut by artillery fire –Unreliable methods: semaphore, runners and carrier pigeons Size of battlefield a factor

7 The functional problems of trench warfare (2): the defender’s advantage, and production Telephone lines below ground Shorter and therefore stronger supply and communication lines Effect of barbed wire and mud Effective conversion of industrial plant took time: –“Shell shortages” –Too much shrapnel

8 Failure, 1915-style: the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, March 1915 Haig: meticulous planning 342-gun barrage enabled British breakthrough Communication problems delayed news of success to Haig, and Haig’s follow-up orders to front Germans had time to plug gap and halt further advance

9 The generals’ flawed thinking in 1915 French (BEF commander, ): –decent man out of his depth –Used shell shortage as excuse not to think of other solutions –Not of “sound temperament” Haig (BEF commander, ): –Much “steady nerve”, less imagination –Drew wrong lessons from 1915 battles –Misplaced faith in a bigger barrage

10 The “morality” of the generals 1915 mistakes partly understandable. Less outright callousness than Edwardian “stiff upper lip” Genuinely thought breakthrough possible – NOT intentionally fighting war of attrition

11 Conclusion Huge losses down less to stupidity of individual generals than to strategic situation and functional problems Neuve Chapelle and Loos the best examples Generals’ readiness to sacrifice troops calculating and flawed, but not necessarily callous