Nick Lloyd characterizes 1916 as a "meat locker," dominated by the twin horrors of Verdun and the Somme. Falkenhayn's strategy at Verdun was a "concentrated experiment in killing," designed to bleed the French army dry through superior artillery rather th

Nick Lloyd characterizes 1916 as a "meat locker," dominated by the twin horrors of Verdun and the Somme. Falkenhayn's strategy at Verdun was a "concentrated experiment in killing," designed to bleed the French army dry through superior artillery rather than territorial gain. This prompted the British and French to launch the Somme offensive to relieve the pressure, leading to a significant tactical dispute between Douglas Haig and Henry Rawlinson. While Haig maintained a traditionalist desire for a "breakthrough" to open maneuver, Rawlinson advocated for a "bite and hold" strategy—systematically smashing enemy lines with artillery and stopping to consolidate. Lloyd argues that in 1916, the British lacked the sophisticated weaponry and know-how for Haig's grand vision, being only capable of the incremental attrition suggested by Rawlinson. This period marked a crucial shift where Germany began a decline from which it never fully recovered. (6)