DOES HAIG DESERVE THE TITLE ‘BUTCHER OF THE SOMME’?

WALT (What am I learning today?)

Assessment

Why Haig got the title Butcher of the Somme.

What evidence we have to prove/disprove it.

What you think about the two interpretations

WALT (What am I looking for?)

Assessment

To identify that there are two ways to look at Haig (4c)

To select evidence to support each interpretation (4a/5c)

To explain why you chose it (team) (5b – 6c)

To think how other events and debate may alter views (6-7)

Starter Task:Blackadder

Blackadder is a comedy series made in 1988 to 1989 by which time most veterans of WW1 had died.

The actors and writers were not historians and the programme is a comedy and not factual.

Watch the clip. Think about the two points How does Haig come across in the clip How reliable a source is it?

Blackadder tries to get out of ‘going over the top’ by phoning Haig who he saved in an early battle before WW1 against a woman armed with fruit!

Blackadder Goes Forth (1989)

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Alternative view

From an author on World War One.

“The BEF (British Army in France) under Haig developed great battlefield skill. The introduction of ideas such as Combined Arms assaults, infiltration, creeping barrages and overhead barrage fire by batteries of Heavy Machine Guns all reduced casualties.”

Do we have just one view of Haig?

How do we see Haig?

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Recap the Battle of the Somme

Haig wanted to end the war in 1916.

He had to help the French or they’d lose at Verdun so he launched the battle of the Somme.

He used untested troops for the most part with a simple plan of attacking in waves.

58,000 were killed or wounded on day one.

Time (5 mins)

Question 2 + 3

2) Look at sources 1 and 2 on the page ‘Haig’s views’. What do you think Haig expected to happen on the first day of the attack?

3) Why did this not happen? (Look also at the key facts information)

Time (12 mins)

TASK

Now in your groups, you are to look at your interpretation and find evidence from the sources to support it. You must explain why.

You will then report back to the class by choosing a spokesperson

Task

As the groups go through the sources, make notes on the quote and what they say – it can be bullet pointed.

Time (8 mins)

TASK

Does Haig deserve to be known as the Butcher of the Somme? Write up a conclusion paragraph – approximately 6 lines selecting your most important piece of evidence and saying why.(Some of you can use the writing frame provided)