Battle of the Somme During World War I: 1,200,000 Dead
The Battle of the Somme, fought July 1 through November 1, 1916, resulted in more than 1.2 million men killed, wounded, or captured.
Here s What You Need To Remember: The British advance was preceded by a massive artillery barrage; British troops were told that there would be little fighting, as most of the Germans would simply be dead. Of course, this wasn t true.
In February 1916, Allied military leaders met at Chantilly, in the Picardy region of France to discuss grand strategy as World War I entered its second full year. British and French commanders agreed to undertake a joint offensive against the Germans in the West, and the area of the Somme River in northern France was chosen.