1) The document discusses different perspectives on whether British commanders in WWI were "lions led by donkeys". 2) Some views were that commanders were incompetent and didn't care for soldiers, while others note commanders faced tremendous challenges in a new type of war. 3) The document provides source evidence for students to evaluate these perspectives on leadership in the Battle of the Somme.

1. Starter List some describing words for the two images – i.e. what sums up the character of a ‘lion’ or a ‘donkey’?

3. Learning outcome

4. Learning outcome

5. Learning outcome By the end of the lesson you will have evaluated whether the analogy Lions led by Donkeys is correct

6. Setting the scene

7. Setting the scene Google Earth

8. Setting the scene By 1916, the First World War had become a stalemate. No progress was being made and conditions were getting worse in the trenches. The British decided to try to break this deadlock at the Battle of the Somme

9. Divide your A3 paper up Evidence Sum it up – min 3 bullet point Does it agree with the Lions led by Donkeys analogy?

10. Task 1 Private George Coppard, a survivor of the Battle of the Somme “ How did the British planners imagine the soldiers would get through the barbed wire? Didn’t any General know that weapon fire lifts the wire up and puts it in a worse tangle than before?”

11. Task 1 Turn to handout sheet p 174-175

12. Task 2 Blackadder

13. Pay attention to Col. Melchett

14. Task 2 What is your impression of Colonel Melchett?

15. Task 2 What qualities are needed for a leader?

16. Task 2 Would you have liked to have been led into battle by Melchett?

18. Task 4 Read handout sheet 176-179

19. Task 4 M Contemporary painting L Modern Historian K Politician letter J Photo I German General Hindenburg H Somme casualty figures G Modern Historian F British losses E Haig speaking in 1915 D British troops going over the top Overall strength of the evidence % Evidence it disagrees with Lions led by donkeys Evidence it supports Lions led by donkeys Source

20. Lesson review Strongly agree Strongly disagree Agree Disagree

21. Lions led by Donkeys ? 9set4 Even today, people hold strong opinions about the commanders of the British and Allied forces in the Great War (1914-18). There is a range of different views: 1. The commanders were 'donkeys'. They were incompetent and didn't take care of their soldiers, the 'lions'. They sat in safety behind the lines while they sent their troops charging against machine guns and barbed wire. Their men resented them and only obeyed because they would be shot otherwise. 2. The commanders didn't do a great job and the soldiers paid the price. However, we shouldn't blame only the military commanders, since the politicians shared in the big decisions and ordered the commanders to try to win the war. 3. The commanders did a remarkable job while facing tremendous challenges. They had to create a huge army from ordinary civilians in a short space of time. They also learnt new tactics and used new weapons as they became available. They took as much care of their men as they could and relations between officers and men were good

23. Lions led by Donkeys ? 9set4 Statement 1 Can be summed up by….. Statement 2 Can be summed up by…. Statement 3 can be summed up by….

24. Lesson review The mass slaughter of British soldiers was necessary to end the stalemate

25. Lesson review Sometimes in War you have to sacrifice life

26. Lesson review Field Marshall Haig was a great leader

27. Lesson review Field Marshall Haig didn’t care about his soldiers

28. Lesson review Was it Lions led by Donkeys?

29. Essay “ Lions led by donkeys!” How far do you agree with this description of the Battle of the Somme?