The Somme 1916: From Both Sides of the Wire

2016•59m

With access to both German and British archives, military historian Peter Barton re-examines one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War from both sides of No Man's Land.

Seasons

3 Episodes • Premiered 2016

1. First Day - Erster Tag

Military historian Peter Barton begins by focusing on the events leading up to the offensive, including what the British got wrong and how much the Germans knew about British plans through the interrogation of prisoners.

2. Defence in Depth: Verteidigung in der Tiefe

Peter Barton examines the second phase of the battle, from mid-July to mid-September 1916. He reveals how an Allied advance that should have taken weeks lasted for months and the new tactics the Germans developed to respond.

3. End Game - End Spiel

Peter Barton concludes his history of the battle in the final months of the campaign. He shows how a German tactical revolution frustrated the Allied advance.