# Battle of the Somme begins (1916)

URL: https://english-history.com/timeline/1916-battle-of-the-somme-begins
Categories: battle, main-event

A massive Anglo-French offensive opened with catastrophic British casualties on the first day. Within the broader Early 20Th Century & World Wars period, mass democracy, the two world wars, Irish partition, economic crisis and the rise of Labour remade the political and social order. This event is placed at 1 July 1916 in the chronology so it can be read alongside the political, military, social and cultural changes around it. The battle became one of the defining symbols of industrialized warfare and sacrifice.

## Why it matters
The battle became one of the defining symbols of industrialized warfare and sacrifice.

Ruler at the time: [George V](https://english-history.com/rulers/george-v)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Battle of the Somme begins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Battle+of+the+Somme+begins&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Battle of the Somme begins](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Battle+of+the+Somme+begins)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of British history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_British_history)
- [The National Archives — twentieth-century resources](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/)