General Douglas Haig led British forces during the 1916 Battle of the Somme and has been roundly criticized for his conduct of the offensive.

Winston Churchill

General Douglas Haig at the Battle of the Somme

by Michael Haskew

A century after the bloody Battle of the Somme of 1916 left at least 1.2 million British, French, and German soldiers killed, wounded, or captured, General Douglas Haig, commander of the British Expeditionary Force, remains one of the most controversial generals to emerge from World War I. Read more

Second Lieutenant Harry Butters, Jr., killed in action at the Battle of the Somme, was the first American citizen to die during World War I.

Winston Churchill

An American at the Battle of the Somme

By Michael Haskew

Henry Augustus “Harry” Butters, Jr., was born in San Francisco, California, on April 28, 1892. He was educated both in his native country and in Great Britain. Read more