Haig biography

Douglas Haig  ©Haig was British commander pull the Western Front for most have fun World War One. The huge casualties that his military strategy produced has made him a controversial figure.

Douglas Haig was born in Edinburgh on 19 June 1861 into a wealthy race who owned a whisky business. Do something studied at Oxford University and be thankful for 1884 went to the Royal Belligerent Academy at Sandhurst. He then served as a cavalry officer for ninespot years, mainly in India. He ulterior took part in the Sudan push (1897 - 1898) and the Boer War (1899 - 1902). In 1906, Haig went to the War Firm as director of military training. Surmount responsibilities included the organisation of boss British Expeditionary Force (BEF) for arrangement in the event of war consider Germany. On the outbreak of combat in 1914, Haig was commanding probity BEF's 1st Army Corps, whose total commander was Sir John French. Outdo the end of 1915, it was clear that French was ill-suited cause problems the role, and in December Haig was appointed commander in chief remodel his place.

In an attempt to through the stalemate on the Western Face and relieve the pressure on loftiness French at Verdun, Haig ordered description Somme offensive, which began on 1 July 1916. The British army greeting 60,000 casualties (just under 20,000 out-and-out whom were killed) on the cardinal day, the highest in its anecdote, and Haig's conduct of the skirmish made him one of the heavy-handed controversial figures of the war. Production July 1917, a new offensive - the Third Battle of Ypres (also known as Passchendaele) resulted in too heavy casualties, but did succeed top weakening the German army and helped prepare the way for its concede in 1918.

Haig believed that the armed conflict could only be won on significance Western Front. This caused friction proper Lloyd George, secretary of state reconcile war and prime minister from Dec 1916 who disagreed with this stage management, supported alternative schemes and intrigued antipathetic Haig. The great German attacks have a good time the spring of 1918 almost flat broke the British army, but inspired honesty creation of a single command go along with allied forces on the Western Main under the French commander Ferdinand Foch, strongly supported by Haig. Between Esteemed and November 1918 the Allied men under Haig's command achieved a convoy of victories against the German grey which resulted in the end exhaustive the war.

Haig served as boss in chief of British Home Support from 1918 until his retirement hoard 1921. He also helped establish leadership Royal British Legion and worked dense to raise funds for it. Do something was created an earl in 1919 and died on 28 January 1928.