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The Battle of the Somme or the Somme Offensive was a series of battles that occurred during the Summer and Autumn of 1916. It involved British and French forces launching a massive assault on the German lines in an effort to break the stalemate on the Western Front. The Battle was primarily a battle between the Germans and the British. The offensive achieved very little and both sides suffered heavy casualties. The British only advanced a few miles and the German lines held and the stalemate was not broken. Historians have argued whether the Somme was a failure or a partial success. It is clear that the British and French did not secure their main objectives during the battle. This article will seek to understand the reasons why the Somme offensive failed to achieve the majority of its planners’ goals. This work will demonstrate that the apparent failure at the Somme was due to poor leadership, planning and stubborn German defence.

==Background==