War Haig example essay topic

310 words
H / W - Douglas Haig Douglas Haig, (1861-1928), British commander on the western front during World War I, born in Edinburgh, and educated at Oxford and the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. Having served as chief of the general staff in India before the war, Haig, a lieutenant general, was given command of the 1st Army Corps of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France and Belgium when hostilities broke out there in 1914. Later in the year he was promoted to full general and given command of one of the two armies of the newly expanded BEF, under the supreme command of General John French. Heavy losses at Loos-en-Go helle in 1915 increased discontent with French's direction of the war, and Haig was subsequently appointed commander in chief of the BEF.

Although he directed the British forces in France for the duration of the war, Haig's handling of the major campaigns, particularly on the Somme in 1916 and at Passchendaele in 1917 were harshly criticized by Prime Minister Lloyd George. Supported by King George V, Haig believed that the war could only be won on the Western Front. This caused friction with David Lloyd George, Secretary of State for War and Prime Minister from December 1916. Unlike Haig, he thought that attacking from the east could accelerate the war. However, Haig remained in his post and from March 1918 succeeded in stopping the last German offensive of the war (March-July 1918), before showing perhaps his best leadership in the victorious Allied assault from August onwards.

After the war Haig assumed the post of commander in chief of home forces, and later devoted his energies to the welfare of ex-servicemen through the Royal British Legion. He was created Earl Haig in 1919 and Baron Haig of Bemersyde in 1921..