It was difficult to advance on the Western Front.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] Tanks scared/alarmed the Germans.
2. [1] They raised the morale of the British soldiers.
3. [1] Early tanks often broke down/were unreliable.
4. [1] Early tanks often could not get across No-Man's Land.
5. [1] They were used at the Somme.
6. [1] Later tanks became more reliable and faster.
7. [1] They advanced ahead of the infantry.
8. [1] They sprayed machine gun fire.
9. [1] They crushed the barbed wire.
10. [1] At Amiens and Cambrai, large numbers of tanks were used, and the German lines could be breached.
11. [1] It was the strongest part of the French defences.
12. [1] If Verdun fell, France might surrender.
13. [1] It was the longest battle of the war.
14. [1] Because of the pressure at Verdun, the Battle of the Somme was fought.
15. [1] Verdun was a symbol of French military pride/historically important.
16. [1] It showed how hard it was to achieve a breakthrough.
17. [1] Defeat would demoralise the troops.
18. [1] It was one of many battles fought on the Western Front.
19. [4-5] It was important because if the Germans won the battle, it would have dealt a devastating blow to French morale. The Germans believed that if France lost the battle they would surrender, and it may have led to Britain withdrawing from the war.
20. [1] The first day of the battle was the worst day in the history of the British Army.
21. [1] There was criticism of the Allied leadership.
22. [1] German troops survived the heavy shelling.
23. [1] There was no breakthrough.
24. [1] It turned into a battle of attrition.
25. [1] Many PAL battalions were wiped out.
26. [1] At the end of the battle, British forces gained 7 miles.
27. [1] It took pressure off the French at Verdun.
28. [1] It saved the French army.
29. [1] Germans had to strengthen their forces with troops from Verdun.
30. [1] Both sides suffered casualties and made little progress.
31. [7-9] The Germans did not suffer such severe losses at the Battle of the Somme. On the first day of the battle, 1 July 1916, the British Army suffered 20 000 dead and 40 000 wounded. This was the worst day in the history of the British Army. The week-long bombardment of enemy lines had left the Germans in their deep bunkers largely undamaged. This proved that their defences were strong.
32. [7-9] In spite of the losses suffered, the Battle of the Somme took pressure off the French forces defending Verdun. It meant the Germans withdrew forces from the Verdun area to fight on the Somme. This saved the French from defeat and possible surrender, preventing Germany from winning the war.