The Somme 1916. Episode 2, Defence in depth = Verteidigung in der Tiefe

Available as

Online

Summary

Marking the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, this programme presents the historic encounter from, for the first time, both sides of no-man's land. With access to little-known German military a...

Marking the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, this programme presents the historic encounter from, for the first time, both sides of no-man's land. With access to little-known German military archives, Peter Barton reveals a story that contradicts previously unchallenged myths. Why, given German forces were sometimes outnumbered five-to-one by the British and French, was this battle hailed as a British victory? This series reveals insights about the failed Allied strategy, and revolutionary German tactics. And there are new answers to the questions that still haunt us 100 years on. Why did this battle last so long? And why was there such carnage? In the second episode, historian Peter Barton concentrates on the second phase of the battle, from the middle of July to the middle of September 1916.

Show More