The historical significance of the Battle of the Somme, fought from July to November 1916 during World War I, lies in its brutal symbolism of the war's human cost and the tactical stalemate characterizing trench warfare. With over one million casualties, it exemplified the horrors of industrial warfare and marked the first use of tanks in battle. The Somme was intended to relieve pressure on the French at Verdun and to weaken German forces, yet it ended without a clear strategic advantage. The massive losses and the changing tactics influenced military strategies and shaped public perceptions of the war itself.