Irrespective of its intended result, the German offensive had the effect of disrupting allied plans. The Russians advanced towards Lake Narotch in Lithuania in March 1916 to try and draw German pressure off the French at Verdun and, simultaneously, to try and assist the Serbs, themselves under heavy pressure in the Balkans. The heavy casualties sustained had a paralysing effect on most Russian commanders thereafter with the notable exception of Alexei Brusilov, whose offensive against the Austro-Hungarian army - actually a diversion for a main attack elsewhere on the previous day - was then brought forward to 5 June 1916 at the request of the Italians.

Particular debate has always surrounded the inter-connection between Verdun and the Somme. In origin, the Somme was not intended to take pressure off Verdun since it had been agreed in principle before the Germans attacked there. Joffre requested British assistance as soon as the German offensive began and Haig agreed to relieve the French Tenth Army by taking over more of the front but he resisted any immediate offensive in favour of preserving his strength for the main effort on the Somme. On 2 May Joffre then assured Haig that it would not be necessary to bring forward the Somme from July since matters had stabilised. Not surprisingly, however, Verdun significantly reduced the planned French contribution to the Somme: the 39 divisions first promised were reduced to 12. Some argue that the Somme was pursued as a means to help the French as well as preventing the Germans sending reinforcements to the Eastern Front. Increasingly, too, the justification was that the Somme contributed to the wearing down of German troop strength, the campaigns of both 1916 and 1917 being necessary preliminaries to the victories won in 1918. It is clear, however, that Haig continued to cling to the hopes of a decisive breakthrough and, taking on its own momentum, the British effort continued for four months after the Germans had ceased to attack Verdun.

For a brief period in August and September 1916, the Chantilly strategy seemed to be working with Haig claiming results on the Somme, the Italians claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on the Austro-Hungarians, the initial success of the Brusilov offensive and Romania’s entry into the war on the allied side on 27 August 1916. By November 1916, hopes had been dashed by the failure of the Somme offensive and the swift defeat of Romania by Falkenhayn, now serving as an army commander. His reputation irreparably damaged by Romanian entry into the war, coupled with the mounting losses at Verdun, Falkenhayn had been dismissed as Chief of the German General Staff on 29 August and replaced by Hindenburg. Like much else, however, the precise impact of the Somme on the German war effort remains a matter of considerable debate.

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