The Somme

ISBN: 1445166062

Author: Ridley, Sarah

Condition: Used

Product DescriptionFor 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.ReviewManages to pack a lot of information and a high standard of maps and illustrations into 50 pages-School LibrarianThis 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-Parents In TouchAbout the AuthorBorn in Suffolk, Sarah Ridley lives on the Suffolk/Essex border and is a writer and editor of educational books for children and young people. Recently, a life-long interest in history has led her to write books about the First World War, inspired by reading letters written by soldiers who served in the conflict.Brothers at War tells the story of uncovering the material held in her own family's archives.Dear Jelly sets letters written by soldier brothers to their younger sisters at its core. Teenage children keep Sarah busy when she isn't tied to her computer, and she relaxes by walking along river estuaries close to her home.