Yea, by your works are ye justified, toil unrelieved. Manifold labors coordinate each to the sending achieved. Discipline, not of the feet but the soul, unremitting, unfained. Tortures unholy by flame,

known, faced, and disdained. Courage that sons, only foolhardiness, even by these, are ye worthy

of your guns. Gilbert Frankow.

Hello and welcome to the When a Ploacy Fails Special on World War I, episode 20.7, 1916.

I hope you've been enjoying the World War I special, guys.

It does feel like I've been doing this for a while now, and to be honest, it was never meant to stretch over two months like it has, but

hey, that's okay, really, so long as you guys enjoy it. With only three episodes left,

then, let's get down to it. I will now take you to the year, 1916. With the ending of the autumn offences of 1915, came the real need within Allied command to effectively end the war in 1916.

To do this, and to take the pressure off Russia, there was the sense within the Anglo-French camp that a major breakthrough was needed to break clean through the German lines

and end the war. In the book War on the Western Front, Dr. Stephen Bull notes of the situation

facing the Allies and Central Powers following the first full year of war in 1915.

Quote, the end of 1915 marked a nadir in Allied fortunes.

The Russians had been pushed back across their western province of Poland,

and Anglo-French efforts on the Western Front have been thwarted.

The Gallipoli adventure had proven to be just another blind alley,

an unrestricted submarine warfare now appeared to offer Germany an escape from blockade and encirclement.

While the Allies planned great efforts for 1916, involving both Britain and Italy on an increasing

scale, the initiative lay with Germany. The German High Command thus faced serious strategic

choices, end quote. Additionally for Germany was the question of Britain, mainly British commitment to the war,

and the question, if France was defeated, would Britain remain at war with Germany?

Britain was viewed as the reluctant partner, and with good reason.

It was French soil that had been violated.

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