Western Front attack

Smuts, newly-appointed to the Imperial War Cabinet, recommended renewed western front attacks and a policy of attrition.

Dobell planned a typical Western Front attack with two days of preliminary bombardment followed by a frontal infantry assault on the enemy trench warfare.

It was also expected that if the Western front attack was successful, it would cause India to pull out of the war due to severe loss of territory.

Smuts initially recommended renewed western front attacks and a policy of attrition, lest with Russian commitment to the war wavering, France or Italy be tempted to make a separate peace.