Passchendaele: Requiem for Doomed Youth
By Paul Ham
Doubleday, 592 pages, £19.99 July 2017 sees the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of Passchendaele, fought on the Western Front during the First World War. To mark this important centenary, two new books have been published that take two very different viewpoints of the battle.
The first is Passchendaele: A New History by Nick Lloyd – Reader in military history at King's College London – who argues that, far from being a pointless waste of men, the battle put the Allies nearer a turning point that ultimately led to victory. The second is Passchendaele: Requiem for Doomed Youth by Paul Ham – military history author – who conversely argues that the battle was not a breakthrough at all, but in fact nearly lost the Allies the war.
Lloyd’s main argument centres on the fact that the Allies failed to achieve victory in late 1917 because they did not develop a proper appreciation of how the war was to be won. This, in part, was due to the confusing relationship between military commanders and the government. He argues that the British Army had success within its grasp but failed to manage the battle properly and concentrate on tactics that worked. He also argues that Passchendaele left the Germans greatly demoralised and weakened.
Ham similarly focuses on the military and political leadership, particularly the deteriorating relationship between Haig and Lloyd George, which he argues only served to extend a pointless and bloody battle of attrition that needlessly cost so many lives. He also makes the point that Allied troops were killed or wounded at higher rates than the Germans, leaving Allied soldiers, likewise, demoralised and weakened.
Both books are extremely well researched and written, proving a delight to read regardless of whether you have a serious focus on the First World War or just for casual interest. Each author puts his case across very convincingly and both titles are thoroughly recommended, especially if read together for their contrasting viewpoints. Mark Simner is a military historian who runs the Victorian Wars forum (victorianwars.com).