[T'wit]

>> I've thought of the first day of the Somme more than once listening to AP or other media recite the American death count in Iraq. We have 2,500 dead in three years...

>> On July 1 alone [the first day of the battle], more than 20,000 British soldiers were killed and up to 40,000 were wounded

[donmeaker]

Part of the problem: The Germans has a machinegun the 08/15 Maxim. The British had guns, not howitzers, and could not fire effectively against anything but the very most exposed German lines.

The British launched the attack to take pressure off the French at Verdun. That worked when they shelled the area for about two weeks. Alas, it was about the only thing that did work. Aside from the "nul ack funfsten" which worked terrifingly well.

Sir Douglas Haig changed the units battlefield reports to hide his complicity. He blamed his boss for it, and managed to move up.