There was great loss of life 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. [1-4] e.g. 'The machine gun was the weapon which produced most casualties.'
2. [1-4] 'It was effective against troops crossing no man's land.'
3. [1-4] 'It was effective for defending trenches.'
4. [1-4] 'Machine guns fired between 400 and 600 bullets a minute.'
5. [1-4] 'They had the effect of over 100 rifles.'
6. [1-4] 'It produced most of the 60 000 British casualties on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.'
7. [2-3] 'They only moved at walking pace.'
8. [2-3] 'They were not manoeuvrable.'
9. [2-3] 'They often broke down.'
10. [2-3] 'Of the first 59 tanks deployed in France, 17 broke down before engaging the enemy.'
11. [2-3] 'The crews suffered from the nauseating stench of engine fumes.'
12. [2-3] 'Some got stuck because of their weight in shell holes and trenches.’
13. [4-5] e.g. 'Early tanks were slow moving and often broke down in no man's land before they reached the enemy trenches. When they were first used on the Somme, over half of the tanks failed to make the German front lines. Because tanks were large and slow, they were an easy target to hit. This meant they did not provide protection for the infantry as they were supposed to do.'
14. [2-3] 'Haig was not capable of changing his tactics.'
15. [2-3] 'His tactics cost thousands of lives.'
16. [2-3] 'Haig's artillery bombardment warned the Germans of the attack.'
17. [2-3] 'Haig's orders meant that they did not achieve a breakthrough.’
18. [2-3] 'His tactics committed German troops, which saved Verdun.'
19. [2-3] 'He did use tanks for the first time at the Somme.'
20. [2-3] 'His war of attrition on the German Army paid off later in the war.'
21. [4-6] e.g. 'In some ways Haig deserved to be remembered as the 'Butcher of the Somme'. The first day of the Battle of the Somme was the worst in the history of the British Army with over 20 000 deaths and 40 000 wounded. Haig would not change his tactics and insisted the full-frontal attacks must continue. He was bitterly criticised for throwing men at massed defences.'
22. [4-6] OR e.g. 'On the other hand, some argue that Haig was doing the best that he could with the resources at his disposal. Haig had warned politicians that the campaign would result in heavy losses. He believed that the objective of the Somme had been achieved. It saved Verdun. Many of Germany's best troops were killed and injured and overall their losses were greater.'