Battle of the Somme Ends

The Battle of the Somme ended after 141 days of fighting. Allied forces had advanced a maximum of 10 km along a 25-km front. British casualties totaled about 419,000; French 200,000; German estimates range from 450,000 to 650,000. The battle shattered British public faith in the military leadership and created lasting trauma in national memory. Douglas Haig's handling of the battle remains bitterly controversial, with historians divided between condemnation and contextualized defense.