The Somme 1916: From Both Sides of the Wire — Season 1
About this season
With access to both German and British archives, military historian Peter Barton re-examines one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War from both sides of No Man's Land.
Episodes (3)
1. First Day - Erster Tag
Aired 18 July 2016 • 59 min
Military historian Peter Barton begins by focusing on the events leading up to the offensive, including what the British got wrong and how much the Germans knew about British plans through the interrogation of prisoners.
2. Defence in Depth: Verteidigung in der Tiefe
Aired 25 July 2016 • 59 min
Peter Barton examines the second phase of the battle, from mid-July to mid-September 1916. He reveals how an Allied advance that should have taken weeks lasted for months and the new tactics the Germans developed to respond.
3. End Game - End Spiel
Aired 1 August 2016 • 59 min
Peter Barton concludes his history of the battle in the final months of the campaign. He shows how a German tactical revolution frustrated the Allied advance.