The Failure of the Somme On the 1st July 1916, after a weeklong artillery bombardment; General Haig launched the "Big Push" attack across the river Somme. With the French Army being hard-pressed to the south at Verdun the British intended to breakthrough the German defences in a matter of hours. The mistrust that Haig had of the so-called "New Armies" showed itself in the orders to the troops to keep uniformed lines and to march towards …showed first 75 words of 354 total…

…showed last 75 words of 354 total…tangled which made it even more difficult for the Allied troops to advance towards the German Trenches. 3) Before the initial attack the Allies started stockpiling supplies and men behind the lines to prepare for the upcoming major attack. The Germans then found out about the attack because of reconnaissance planes who spotted the additional men and supplies and immediately ordered their own soldiers to go inside concrete bunkers to protect themselves from the approaching assault.