Video: 'The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century (4of7): Slaughter' (Nov. 18, 1916, at 34:00)

(Saturday, November 18, 1916; during the Battle of the Somme, part of the Western Front of World War I) — The Battle of the Somme, a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British and French empires against the German Empire, ended today when German troops retired from the final large british attack at the Battle of the Ancre amid worsening weather.

General Sir Douglas Haig called a halt to the Somme operation, claiming the offensive to have been successful. By the end of the battle, the allies had advanced more than six miles into German-held territory and refining their use of their of aircraft and introducing the tank for the first time.

It was the largest battle of World War I on the Western Front; more than one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history.

Video: 'Popular Videos - Battle of the Somme' (200 videos)

Video: 'World War I: Battle Of The Somme' (4 videos)