Attrition

Philpott, William J.

doi:10.1057/9781137360663.0018

Cited by 62 publications

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“…Throughout 1915, both sides increasingly saw 'that this was a war of resources, and in particular of reserves', which only could be won through the mobilization of 'all society's resources and grinding down the enemy's capacity and will to fight in a sustained war of attrition'. 16 Even a leading critic of the strategy of attrition, Winston Churchill, agreed in late 1915 that it was unavoidable. However, London needed to answer two critical questions if such a strategy was to be pursued effectively.…”

Section: -15: the First Effortsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…43 Still, Whitehall set out to answer these questions about manpower and attrition, spurred by necessity, for 'by 1916 warfare had become a matter of calculation -of manpower resources... of how many casualties and prisoners it would take to break the enemy once and for all'. 44 The BEF soon would make its first great effort on the Somme, whereas the French army already was under mounting pressure from February 1916, bearing the brunt of Germany's main effort for the year in the Battle of Verdun. 45 On 10 May 1916 the War Committee established a secret 46 sub-committee of the CID, the Enemy Personnel Committee (EPC) 'to examine and report on the probable resources of the enemy in personnel at the present stage of the war'.…”

Section: : the Enemy Personnel Committeementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This was not how soldiers saw the matter. The Somme had been critical in wearing down the Germany army, and 'two Sommes at once' 104 was the solution of General Sir Henry Wilson to defeat Germany in 1917 -in principle an accurate assessment, in practice a terrifying one. 105 This debate raged, allowing Lloyd George to argue that attrition should halt, and the army that it must continue.…”

Section: : the Search For Victorymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…108 While not in agreement with Haig's views, Lloyd George could not simply ignore Haig and Robertson, the CIGS, as he depended 'on the support of Unionist members of parliament and the Northcliffe press that backed' the pair. 109 However, they must show their masters that this battle, called Third Ypres, was essential.…”

Section: : the Search For Victorymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…9By the middle of 1915, both sides accepted 'the inexorable of the logic of the war': prolonged attrition was the only way to force a decision. 10 In 1916, Kitchener and General Sir William Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), were certain that a combined attritional offensive with the French army on the Western Front was essential to defeating Germany, and ensuring the continued survival of the Entente. 11 The result was the Battle of the Somme.…”

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‘A matter of opinion’: British attempts to assess the attrition of German manpower, 1915–1917

Halewood¹

2017

Intelligence and National Security

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Revisionist historians of the Western Front have demonstratedthat Britain had no alternative but to wage a war of attrition to defeat Germany. However, the effort to assess this process has been neglected in the historiography. This article explores British attempts to gauge the success of their strategy of wearing down German manpower. Efforts in London proved unable to supply a convincing answer. Using General Headquarters' dubious estimates from the front, Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig argued that his strategy was working. Prime Minister David Lloyd George's inability to confound these estimates shaped his decision to permit the Passchendaele offensive.war. 5 Victory would turn on the destruction of the German army and its reserves, the center of gravity for the Central Powers. 6 The strategy undertaken to achieve this end was attrition.Meanings of attrition varied at different times, but all required a large mobilization at home and the ultimate destruction of the German Army. 7 In 1914 and into early 1915 Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War, understood better than most that this would be a long war, and set about raising 'New Armies' composed of volunteers. 8 In the meantime he believed that the destruction of the enemy in battle was a distant objective, and it would be preferable for Britain to switch its attention to more immediately promising theaters. For now, attrition would take place on the Western Front in the form of 'limited operations to grind down enemy strength or to repel German offensives'. 9By the middle of 1915, both sides accepted 'the inexorable of the logic of the war': prolonged attrition was the only way to force a decision. 10 In 1916, Kitchener and General Sir William Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), were certain that a combined attritional offensive with the French army on the Western Front was essential to defeating Germany, and ensuring the continued survival of the Entente. 11 The result was the Battle of the Somme. The heavy losses here caused David Lloyd George, Prime Minister from December 1916 onward, to seek alternatives to this costly wearing down process. However, there was no other option which promised victory: the German army must be destroyed in battle in order to win the war. The three great attritional battles of 1916 and 1917, the Somme, Arras, and Third Ypres, were part of 'an essential process of wearing out the enemy', and contributed to Germany's ultimate collapse in 1918 following the failure of the German Spring Offensive and the Allies' Hundred Days Offensive. 12 This strategy of attrition imposed new demands on the British state, including the assessment of its own and enemy resources.

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Section: -15: the First Effortsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: : the Enemy Personnel Committeementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: : the Search For Victorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: : the Search For Victorymentioning

confidence: 99%

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