1916

This selection from 100 Days to Victory examines the third year of the First World War, beginning with British conscription and the German offensive at Verdun before moving towards the opening of the Battle of the Somme. It explains the logic of attrition and the pressure placed on Britain and France to coordinate offensives while their armies absorbed unprecedented losses.

David uses key dates to connect political decisions, artillery preparation, infantry tactics and the experiences of men entering battle. The volume also places the Western Front within a wider year of fighting that included naval confrontation and campaigns beyond France. Its account of 1 July 1916 shows both the scale of the British Army’s transformation and the catastrophic cost of assumptions that bombardment had destroyed the German defence.