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The Somme

On sale

25th April 2019

Price: £9.99

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Selected: Paperback / ISBN-13: 9781445166063

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For many people the word ‘Somme’ sums up the carnage and futility of the First World War. The failure of Allied forces to achieve their objectives at such a huge cost in human lives has resonated in military circles for the past 100 years. This book tells the story of the battle and its wider repercussions, and analyses its importance to the overall outcome of the First World War.

The Somme investigates the build-up to the battle, why leaders thought the action was necessary and what they thought it would achieve. It looks at the forces involved, including the ‘Pals’ battalions – patriotic friends who fought, and more often than not died, together.

Although not a straightforward timeline, the book outlines the actual course of the battle beginning on 1 July 1916 and the impact of the continuing slaughter on both sides. Quotes from those who took part offer a glimpse of what it must have been like to be there, and maps show how little was actually achieved in terms of a breakthrough. Poetry, art and music inspired by the Somme campaign bring the soldiers’ harrowing experiences to life. Suitable for readers aged 11 and up.

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Reviews

Parents In Touch
This book tells the harrowing story of the battle and its wider repercussions, and analyses its importance to the overall outcome of the First World War ... I liked the fact the book included such a wide range of resources, which gave a real insight
School Librarian
Manages to pack a lot of information and a high standard of maps and illustrations into 50 pages