Any good accounts of the big picture of French/British relations on the first few days of the Somme ?

[Simon Cains]

I was surprised to learn that on 3rd July, Joffre drove over to see Haig and Rawlinson, insisting that they keep battering away at Theipval and the rest of the ridge, instead of exploiting the success in the south and the French sector, as Haig wanted.  Haig managed to resist.

And some sources say Joffre stopped any more French advances after 3rd July until the British "caught up", even though the French had already got into open country and could have really broken out.  Obviously there are thousands of books on the British side of the Somme, and a few about the French side, but I haven't found any which cover the whole battle and French/British relations in the first critical week.  I got "The Somme 1916 touring the French sector" ( but this is all details on the ground, no high level command), and "The French army on the Somme 1916" but this is just photos. 

Are there any books, websites, papers etc ?  I found this website, I don't how much of this might be true ?   https://militaryhistorynow.com/2022/12/08/the-french-army-at-the-somme-inside-frances-important-but-often-overlooked-role-in-the-1916-offensive/#google_vignette

Thanks very much.

[Chris_Baker]

William Philpott's "Bloody Victory: The Sacrifice on the Somme and the Making of the Twentieth Century" and Jack Sheldon's "Fighting the Somme: German Challenges, Dilemmas and Solutions" are key texts. Sheldon does an excellent job of explaining the central role that Thiepval played in the German approach to the entire battle. You might have different view of Haig's decision making in this regard once you have read it. I certainly do.

Edited 31 March by Chris_Baker

[Ken Lees]

Isn't @bmac working on this subject (along with many others) currently?

I'm sure he will he able to recommend some texts.

[kenf48]

Have you considered Douglas Haig Diaries and Letters 1914 -1918 edited by Gary Sheffield and John Bourne

"By request I received Generals Joffre and Foch about 3pm today.  The object of the visit was to discuss 'future arrangements'

After Haig had 'soothed old Joffre down' the meeting broke up

On the 6th July he met Foch to "discuss future co-operation"

On the 12th July he wrote, "Also to encourage the French, we must keep on being active. They lost severely on trying to take the Barleux village"

etc etc

 

[Simon Cains]

5 hours ago, kenf48 said:

Have you considered Douglas Haig Diaries and Letters 1914 -1918 edited by Gary Sheffield and John Bourne

"By request I received Generals Joffre and Foch about 3pm today.  The object of the visit was to discuss 'future arrangements'

After Haig had 'soothed old Joffre down' the meeting broke up

On the 6th July he met Foch to "discuss future co-operation"

On the 12th July he wrote, "Also to encourage the French, we must keep on being active. They lost severely on trying to take the Barleux village"

etc etc

 

Hi yes I found some of this online although the character recognition didn't work too well  https://archive.org/stream/privatepapersofd0000haig/privatepapersofd0000haig_djvu.txt    Thanks.

[Keith_history_buff]

Miquel, Pierre (2001). 
Les Oubliés de la Somme (in French).
Paris: Tallandier. ISBN 978-2-23-502090-9.

[Keith_history_buff]

1916 The Battle of the Five Empires: 15 May - 28 September 1916

Chenu, Benoît

ISBN 13: 9782958537746

[Simon Cains]

17 hours ago, Chris_Baker said:

William Philpott's "Bloody Victory: The Sacrifice on the Somme and the Making of the Twentieth Century" and Jack Sheldon's "Fighting the Somme: German Challenges, Dilemmas and Solutions" are key texts. Sheldon does an excellent job of explaining the central role that Thiepval played in the German approach to the entire battle. You might have different view of Haig's decision making in this regard once you have read it. I certainly do.

Thanks Chris.  I am more interested in the French generals  Joffre etc and what role they played imposing decisions on the British before and during the battle.   Although I have just posted another question about Thiepval, why attack the obviously most-heavily defended sector ?