Restjes

A- Battle of the Somme - assignment

From source A we can learn that Haig thought the battle of the Somme had been a success: The main goals had been achieved

Verdun had been relieved

Main German forced had been held on the western front

Germany’s strength had been considerably worn down

   

B - Battle of the Somme - assignment

Source C supports source B, both sources express the opinion that the Somme had been a disaster and Haig was to blame.(B “a general …. To answer for” and C “ they knew nothing … under modern conditions” + “He never saw … during the fight”)

Source C does NOT support source A bcause in A Haig says the Somme was a succes while C denies this. On the other hand C is in line with A because C claims Haig did NOT know what was going on, and claiming the Somme was succesful (A) proves this view.

C- Battle of the Somme - assignment

Source D is hardly useful: the source is a photograph of a British trench in the Somme and doensn’t add anything about the role of Haig.

Source E blames Haig (not by name but he is meant with “high authority”). This officer is convinced Haig is responsable for the many casualties, including his brother. He uses “murdered” meaning the soldiers were sent to their death on purpose. Evidence, however is hard to get from this source: it is one person and the author , probably, was bitter because of his brother’s death.

D - Battle of the Somme - assignment

• Haig’s planning wasn’t faulty: in 1915 he made an estimate of what he needed for this attack. By circumstances he was forced to attack before those estimations were met.
  
• The main reason why the Somme failed was that generals (not only Haig) were ill-prepared for modern warfare, and stuck to old fashioned ideas about war.
  
• Haig can be blamed, because he stuck to his plans and continued the attack long after it was obvious that it was impossible to continue.
  
• Haig’s claim that the offensive was a success, because the goals were met (source A) is generally refuted (sources B and C) mainly because of the enormous amount of casualties and the little territory that was gained. Such boasts made Haig very impopular among the soldiers (source E)
  

Restjes

Before...

• Read ‘Russia before 1917’ (TB p. 34)
  
• Make exercise 1 (WB p.32)
  

Russian-Japanese war of 1905

That didn't ...

work (knock) out!

Opposition to Tsarist rule

• Social Revolutionaries (Srs)
  
• Support of many peasants
  
• Social Democrats
  
• Mensheviks (Julius Martov)
  
• Bolsheviks (Vladimir Lenin)
  
• Popular in big cities, labourers, bad living/working conditions
  
• Constitutional Democrats (Kadets) (Paul Miliukov)
  
• Lawyers, teachers, docters, civil servants (educated middle/higher class)
  
• Octobrists
  
• Constitutional monarchists
  

DO NOT COPY!

Revolution!

• Read ‘The February Revolution’, ‘Lenin’ and ‘ The October Revolution’ (TB p. 36-7)
  
• Make exercise 5, 6 and 8
  

Propaganda: a movie

Go to WB p. 36-37

We will make the questions together, step by step.

Begin at 1:27:00 

Begin at 1:27:00