The First Battle of the Somme The First Battle of the Somme was a very unsuccessful and expensive Allied offensive on French land during World War I (“Somme”). Many soldiers were needlessly killed and many towns and villages destroyed. This battle was one of the largest land battles ever fought during a war. After the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria on on June 28, 1914, war began to break out among Western countries (“World“ 1). Germany declared war on Russia, then on France, and then invaded Belgium, which was a neutral country (“World” 1). Much needless Belgian blood was shed by innocent people as the German troops tore throug