Battle of Somme

The Battle of the Somme was a major World War I battle fought between July and November 1916. It involved British and French forces against the German army, aimed at relieving pressure on the French at Verdun and breaking through enemy lines. The battle is infamous for its high casualties—over one million soldiers were wounded or killed—and its limited territorial gains. The first day remains the bloodiest in British military history. The Somme highlighted the brutal nature of trench warfare and the difficulties of military strategy in the face of modern weaponry.