<prompt> Many of the German units on the Somme had arrived in 1914 and made great efforts to fortify the defensive line, particularly with barbed-wire entanglements to the front trench with fewer troops. Zvizhinji zvezvikwata zveGermany zvaiva paSomme zvakanga zvasvika muna 1914 uye zvakaedza zvakasimba kusimbisa nhare yokuzvidzivirira, zvikurukuru nekubatanidza tambo dzine minzwa kumakomba epamberi nemauto mashoma. Njanji, migwagwa nemigwagwa yemumvura zvaibatanidza nhandare yehondo neRuhr, tsime rezvinhu zve, akachera pasi pevhu, akakura zvakakwana nokuda kwechimwe nechimwe, akachera ose. Muna February 1916, pashure pe Autumn Battle, kana kuti Second Battle of Champagne  <response>: muna 1915, nzvimbo yechitatu yekudzivirira yakadzokera kumashure uye yakanga yave kuda kupera pamhepo yeSomme pakatanga hondo. Mauto eGermany akarongwa muzvikamu; mukuru mukuru mumwe nomumwe aitarisirwa kuziva mabhatiri aifukidza chikamu chake chomutsetse wapamberi uye mabhatiri aifanira kuva akagadzirira kurwisa zvinangwa zvinopukunyuka. Nzira dzerunhare dzine mitsetse yakadzokera shure zvikuru kubva pamutsetse wapamberi, dzakabatanidza uta. 