General Haig

Who was General Haig?

General Haig was the British commander on the Western Front from December 1915. He is a controversial figure as some titled him 'Butcher of the Somme', while others believe he was a key factor in winning the war.

What successes did General Haig have?

General Haig had numerous successes during the First World War:

• ❖ Haig relieved the pressure on French forces at Verdun by starting the Somme Offensive.
• ❖ The Battle of Passchendaele succeeded in weakening the German forces.
• ❖ Haig drew German forces away from the Nivelle offensive by leading the Battle of Arras.
• ❖ He masterminded victories at Messines in June 1917.
• ❖ He was willing to be flexible and experiment with the use of tanks, which had success at Cambrai in 1917.
• ❖ He was appointed to win the war for the British, which he ultimately did.

What failures did General Haig have?

Haig had a number of failures during the First World War:

• ❖ His tactic of attrition resulted in a huge number of casualties, especially at the battles of the Somme and Passchendaele .
• ❖ He had a very traditional approach to war, as he was trained as a cavalryman. As such, he was slow to experiment with new methods.
• ❖ By 1917, there was still a stalemate. Haig hadn't masterminded an overall victory despite the huge losses.