S8 Ep1165: Nick Lloyd characterizes 1916 as a "meat locker," dominated by the twin horrors of Verdun and the Somme. Falkenhayn's strategy at

The John Batchelor Show · Jul 26, 2026 · 6m

Nick Lloyd characterizes 1916 as a "meat locker," dominated by the twin horrors of Verdun and the Somme. Falkenhayn's strategy at Verdun was a "concentrated experiment in killing," designed to bleed the French army dry through superior artillery rather than territorial gain. This prompted the British and French to launch the Somme offensive to relieve the pressure, leading to a significant tactical dispute between Douglas Haig and Henry Rawlinson. While Haig maintained a traditionalist desire for a "breakthrough" to open maneuver, Rawlinson advocated for a "bite and hold"…