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The View That British Generals Like Haig Were Incompetent?

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“How far do you agree with the view that British Generals like Haig were incompetent?”

This essay will argue that British generals like Haig were incompetent! However, a handful of individuals might believe that British generals like Haig were war heroes and that our country is forever in debt. These people might say that Britain the war, so clearly the generals did their job well. They could also point out that these brave leaders only did what they could in such limited time and with such limited resources and that the weight of our world should not be on their shoulders. However, the better argument is clearly the one that states that British generals like Haig were incompetent as there is far more data and sources to support it. For instance, …show more content…

These generals won us the war according to sources such as Basil Liddell Hart (a Lieutenant who was invalided back to Britain), “So far during the war, our leadership has been flawless- perfect. There was an obvious genius for pure generalship which made General Haig fit to rank with any general of past or modern times”. Nonetheless, this point is clearly unthought through, as firstly Hart was pretty high up in the ranks so obviously isn’t going to talk badly about someone he works closely with; he wants to keep his job. Secondly, these generals were rarely seen by any of the soldiers they recruited; is this really a trait of good …show more content…

All he did for the war effort was lead soldiers to their death, he never changed his tactics even When he saw that it was killing so many, highlighting his share incompetence; he never tried anything new, only trying the same failing tactics again and again. John Laffin, a military historian states “Haig and other generals must be blamed for wilful blunders and wicked butchery. However stupid they might have been, however they were the product of the system which obstructed enterprises, they knew what they were doing. There can never be forgiveness for their sheer incompetence” This point is inevitably the right one, John Laffin who specialises in military history clearly agrees. Haig obviously doesn’t have the expertise required to plan ahead and protect his soldiers and

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