What were the effects on the Somme from the Verdun battle?
Battle of the Somme July 1 1916 The Somme Offensive emerged from the Allies` conference at Chantilly in December 1915 The Battle of the Somme was planned to relieve pressure on the French at Verdun British Generals- Field Marshall -Sir Douglas Haig – General -Sir Henry Seymour Rawlinson Strategic aim – Wear down German reserves , which had frustrated consolidation of Allied moves over the previous 18 months Tactical aim – To take the high ground between Albert and Bapaume , 20 km (13 ml) to the N/E and than drive North toward Arras, a further 25 km ( 16 ml away British causalities in the first 12 hrs were 60,000 , of which 20,000 were killed 11 July 1916 The German General von Falkenhayn orders attacks on Verdun to cease and transfered artillery to the Somme August 28 1916 Falkenhayn is replaced by Hindenburg and Ludendorff But the French attack on the Chemin des Dames on April 21st 1917 was almost as costly as the Somme with 40,000 French troops lost on the first day alone
