The Contribution of Haig and Foch

General Sir Douglas Haig

General Haig was the most significant British commander during the war. He was critical to Allied survival during the war of attrition.

Haig's beliefs

Haig believed the war would be won on the Western Front.
He ordered the Battle of the Somme to relieve the pressure at the Battle of Verdun.
- Overall, this helped the Allied effort to survive.
- But the severity of casualties at the Somme and Passchendaele brought Haig’s name into disrepute - his authority was questioned.

The single command

During the final phase of the war, Haig strongly supported the creation of a single command under Marshal Ferdinand Foch.
This unified the Allied Powers and reduced disagreement within the military leadership.
Under Haig, the Allies had a series of victories between August and November 1918.

Marshal Ferdinand Foch

Alongside Field Marshal Haig, the French commander Marshal Ferdinand Foch was crucial to Allied victory.

The single command

As supreme commander, he managed to organise French, American, British and Italian troops with tactical skill.
Foch is largely credited with withstanding the Spring Offensive and helping launch the Allied counter-offensive.

Optimism

Foch is often remembered for his optimism. In the face of German attack, he said that ‘materially, I do not see that victory is possible. Morally, I am certain that we shall gain it’.

The armistice

Foch played a key role in shaping the armistice with Germany in November 1918.

1The Causes of the First World War

1.1The Alliance System

1.1.1The Threat of Germany & The Triple Alliance

1.1.2The Franco-Russian Alliance & the 'Entente'

1.1.3End of Topic Test - The Alliance System

1.2Crisis in Morocco and the Balkans

1.2.1The Crisis in Morocco

1.2.2The Crisis in the Balkans

1.2.3The Balkan Wars

1.2.4Impact on International Relations

1.2.5End of Topic Test - Morocco & the Balklans

1.3Anglo-German Rivalry

1.3.1Britain & Splendid Isolation

1.3.2Kaiser Wilhelm II's Foreign Policy

1.3.3European Rearmament

1.3.4End of Topic Test - Anglo-German Rivalry

1.4Outbreak of War

1.4.1Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

1.4.2The July Crisis

1.4.3The Schlieffen Plan and Belgium

1.4.4Reasons for the Outbreak of Hostilities

1.4.5End of Topic Test - Outbreak of War

2The First World War: Stalemate

2.1The Schlieffen Plan

2.1.1Reasons Behind the Schlieffen Plan & its Failure

2.1.2Stalemate

2.1.3End of Topic Test - The Schlieffen Plan

2.2The Western Front

2.2.1Technology

2.2.2Military Tactics

2.2.3The War of Attrition (1915-1916)

2.2.4The War of Attrition (1917)

2.2.5End of Topic Test - The Western Front

2.3The Wider War

2.3.1The War at Sea

2.3.2The War in the Air

2.3.3Other Theatres

2.3.4End of Topic Test - Wider War

3Ending the War

3.1Changes in the Allied Forces

3.1.1The Bolshevik Revolution

3.1.2Reasons for the Entry of the USA

3.1.3The Impact of US Entry on the War

3.1.4End of Topic Test - Changes in the Allied Forces

3.2Military Developments in 1918

3.2.1Tactics & Technology

3.2.2Ludendorff & the German Spring Offensive

3.2.3The Allied Advance During The Hundred Days

3.3Germany Surrenders

3.3.1The Impact of the Naval Blockade

3.3.2Abdication of the Kaiser

3.3.3Armistice

3.3.4The Contribution of Haig and Foch

3.3.5End of Topic Test - Developments & Surrender

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