Discuss the extent to which the Somme Offensive was a failure.

To most, the Somme Offensive was one of the biggest failures of World War I. By discussing the purposes, leadership, conditions, morale and events of the Somme Offensive we can determine to what degree it was a failure. Each of these individual factors is essential in deciding to what extent it was a failure. The purposes for beginning the Somme Offensive and the ineffective leadership that made the decisions are both critical factors effecting the …

…the battle, as it did not fulfil its intended purpose. It is also obvious that the bad quality of leadership during the Somme Offensive helped contribute to its failure. Atrocious conditions severely hampered the advancement of the Allies and enfeebled the morale of the troops. The Somme Offensive was a failure that achieved no major gains and was a massive waste of resources, all due to an aristocrat's inability to admit that he was wrong.