<P> The Battle of the Somme ( French : Bataille de la Somme , German : Schlacht an der Somme ) , also known as the Somme Offensive , was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British and French empires against the German Empire . It took place between 1 July and 18 November 1916 on both sides of the upper reaches of the River Somme in France . The battle was intended to hasten a victory for the Allies and was the largest battle of the First World War on the Western Front . More than three million men fought in this battle and one million men were wounded or killed , making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history . </P>
where did the battle of the somme take place
both sides of the upper reaches of the River Somme in France