After the near destruction of the Royal and German navies at the Battle of Jutland, another battle that would be just as destructive and a pyrrhic German victory would occur in the deep trenches of Northern France. That was the Battle of the Somme, which would be launched within a month of Jutland's outcome.
The Somme was part of the Entente war conference's strategy to defeat the Central Powers in 1916-1917. According the the notes taken during this conference in Chantilly from 6-8 December 1915, simultaneous offensives were to be launched against the Germans by the French and Russians and against the Austrians by the Italians and Russians. The British would take care of the Ottomans and colonies while a small multinational force was to keep Bulgarian forces occupied in Salonika. The offensives were to keep the Germans and Austrians to keep them occupied and deny time for troop movements.
In December, General Sir Douglas Haig, who would prove his 'butcher' reputation, replaced Sir John French as commander in chief of the British Expeditionary Force. Haig favoured an offensive in Flanders to liberate Belgium and drive the Germans from the u boat bases there.