Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918 - 4 Trench warfare on the…
Full specification wording
Paper 3, Option 35.2: The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918 - 4 Trench warfare on the Western Front, 1914–18: The significance of Haig’s major offensives for the conduct of the war and attitudes to it: the Somme in 1916, Passchendaele in 1917, the Hundred Days’ Offensive in 1918.
Haig’s three major offensives shaped how the war was fought and how it was perceived.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 3
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Haig’s three major offensives shaped how the war was fought and how it was perceived. The Somme (1916) aimed to relieve Verdun and wear down the enemy, but massive artillery bombardments failed to cut wire or destroy deep dugouts, leading to costly infantry advances and a battle of attrition. Passchendaele (1917) sought breakthrough in Flanders but became a slog in mud and shell-holes, with limited gains and heavy casualties. The Hundred Days (1918) combined improved tactics, tanks, aircraft and artillery to push the Germans back, leading to the Armistice. These offensives changed the conduct of war from mass assaults to combined-arms methods, and attitudes shifted from optimism to disillusionment, then to relief and controversy over Haig’s leadership.
What earns the marks
- Explains the Somme’s aims: to relieve French pressure at Verdun and to wear down German reserves, not necessarily to achieve a rapid breakthrough.
- Analyses how the Somme changed the conduct of war: lessons about artillery limits, the need for creeping barrages, and the development of bite-and-hold tactics.
- Assesses Passchendaele’s significance: initial success at Messines, then failure to exploit due to weather, mud and German defence in depth, resulting in limited territorial gain.
- Evaluates the Hundred Days: the shift to combined-arms warfare with tanks, aircraft, and more flexible infantry, which restored mobility and led to German defeat.
- Examines attitudes: initial public support and volunteerism, later war weariness, conscription, and post-war debates about Haig’s competence and the cost of attrition.
- Connects each offensive to the overall conduct of the war: attrition, technology, tactics, and the strain on manpower and morale.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Treating the Somme as solely a British failure without considering its role in relieving Verdun and wearing down Germany.
Put it right: Explain the strategic context and both intended and unintended consequences.
Claiming Passchendaele achieved a decisive breakthrough.
Put it right: State that gains were limited and the battle became a symbol of attritional mud and suffering.
Describing the Hundred Days as only a tank victory.
Put it right: Show it was a combined-arms effort integrating artillery, aircraft, infantry and tanks.
Assuming attitudes were uniformly anti-war after 1916.
Put it right: Note a range of responses, including continued support, censorship, and post-war commemoration.
Exam tips
- Use the exact offensive names and dates to anchor your argument and show precise knowledge.
- For significance questions, weigh short-term military effects against longer-term attitudes and memory.
- Incorporate historians’ interpretations (e.g., on Haig’s leadership) to reach the highest levels, but support them with specific evidence.
- Link each offensive to changes in tactics or technology to demonstrate understanding of the conduct of war.
Try the lesson
The start of the Paper 3, Option 35.2: The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918 - 4 Trench warfare on the Western Front, 1914–18: The significance of Haig’s major offensives for the conduct of the war and attitudes to it: the Somme in 1916, Passchendaele in 1917, the Hundred Days’ Offensive in 1918. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
On the first day of the Somme offensive in 1916, approximately how many British soldiers became casualties?
Listen
Haig’s three major offensives shaped how the war was fought and how it was perceived. The Somme (1916) aimed to relieve Verdun and wear down the enemy, but massive artillery bombardments failed to cut wire or destroy deep dugouts, leading to costly infantry advances and a battle of attrition. Passchendaele (1917) sought breakthrough in Flanders but became a slog in mud and shell-holes, with limited gains and heavy casualties. The Hundred Days (1918) combined improved tactics, tanks, aircraft and artillery to push the Germans back, leading to the Armistice. These offensives changed the conduct of war from mass assaults to combined-arms methods, and attitudes shifted from optimism to disillusionment, then to relief and controversy over Haig’s leadership. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explains the Somme’s aims: to relieve French pressure at Verdun and to wear down German reserves, not necessarily to achieve a rapid breakthrough. Analyses how the Somme changed the conduct of war: lessons about artillery limits, the need for creeping barrages, and the development of bite-and-hold tactics. Assesses Passchendaele’s significance: initial success at Messines, then failure to exploit due to weather, mud and German defence in depth, resulting in limited territorial gain. Evaluates the Hundred Days: the shift to combined-arms warfare with tanks, aircraft, and more flexible infantry, which restored mobility and led to German defeat. A common slip: Treating the Somme as solely a British failure without considering its role in relieving Verdun and wearing down Germany. Instead, Explain the strategic context and both intended and unintended consequences. Exam tip: Use the exact offensive names and dates to anchor your argument and show precise knowledge.
Put the events in order
Put these events in the order they happened, earliest first.
- 1. The Somme offensive aimed to relieve Verdun and wear down German reserves
- 2. The Hundred Days combined improved tactics, tanks, aircraft and artillery to push Germans back
- 3. Passchendaele sought breakthrough in Flanders but became a slog in mud
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Attrition and breakthrough
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Technological and tactical change
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Leadership and controversy
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Public and soldier morale
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Attrition and breakthrough
- Wearing down the enemy through costly advances, as at the Somme, contrasted with seeking a rapid breakthrough, as at Passchendaele.
- Technological and tactical change
- The shift from mass assaults to combined-arms methods, with creeping barrages, bite-and-hold tactics, tanks, aircraft and more flexible infantry.
- Leadership and controversy
- Post-war debates about Haig’s competence and the cost of attrition, alongside controversy over his leadership.
- Public and soldier morale
- Attitudes shifting from initial public support and volunteerism to war weariness, conscription and a range of responses including continued support and censorship.
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