Aspects of Trench Warfare 1. Trenches were built in an attempt to continue the war as both sides had reached a stalemate. There was a rush for the sea and then they found nothing else could happen so they dug in. The resulting trench system on the Western Front not only covered the equivalent of 25,000 miles (enough to encircle the world) but also stretched non-stop from Belgium to Switzerland. To explain the main features of trench warfare we must look at all the points the trench design, the modern technology etc. Trenches were designed in a specific way. They were built in a zigzag fashion to accommodate for bombs destroying them. If a bomb did hit them then only a corner of the trench would collapse, making it easier to repair than have a trench in a straight-line collapse. The top of the trench was secured with sandbags. This also made a parapet, which was useful for firing over the top as you could rest your gun on it. The sandbags were useful for protection when shells were going off, as they helped to secure your trench as well as provide protection. The fire step was made for stepping on when you were firing over the top or for going over the top. In the back of your trench there were some dugouts where you could shelter during enemy firing and use the periscope to look over the top. Conditions in the trenches were appalling. In the winter you could get trench foot because of the rain as it turned the trenches into complete mud pits. Wooden planks called duckboards were put down to try and stop this but they were inadequate. As result the soldiers feet would swell up to two or three times their normal size and b... ... middle of paper ... ...d as the allies were tired and fed up of the fighting. The new soldiers helped. The surrender of her allies left Germany without hope. She was stuck all on her own, left to fight on two fronts. She had to fight against all the allies as well as the Americans. The Kaiser eventually realised he had lost the war and signed the armistice with Russia. Later Ludendorf signed an armistice with the allies. Allied Technological supremacy was probably one of the main contributors to German defeat on the Western front. The allies had been ahead in the case of technology for most of the war. They had the guns, grenades and other equipment long before the Germans. All in all there were many contributory reasons as to why Germany lost on the Western front. These are only a few. The Germans were defeated and lost the war.
"Feature Articles - Life in the Trenches." Firstworldwar.com. First World War, n.d. Web. 05 Apr.
The First World War saw a new form of warfare known as Trench warfare which involved trenches which were deep long dugouts made by the soldiers that lived in these trenches. The trenches proved useful as they protected the soldiers from artillery and bomb fire and were most likely situated in the eastern and western fronts of Europe. However the conditions of the trenches were far from exuberant but were in fact severely terrible. There was bad hygiene throughout the trenches, for example soldiers bathed probably only once a month and as such were prone to diseases such as trenches fever (which were due to the lice attracted by the bad hygiene). The weather was no exception as well, in the summer it would be too hot and in the winter it would be too cold and due to the nature of the trenches, when it rained the trenches would be filled with water, and due to such conditions welcomed the disease known as trench foot which was due to prolonged exposure to water and claimed the foots of many soldiers. There was also the constant danger of bomb fire and snipers would always be on the lookout for any movement. Latrines, which were toilets used in the trenches also sprouted fear as the enemy could see them in this area of the trenches and therefore were in constant danger of death. Soldiers also had to follow a strict code of conduct which was known as trench etiquette which ordered them to respect higher officers and they would have to be punished if the trench etiquette was ignored.
The trench system on the Western Front consisted of front-line, support and reserve trenches. The three rows of trenches covered between 200 and 500 yards of ground. Communication trenches were dug at an angle to those facing the enemy. These trenches used to transport men equipment and food supplies.
Soldiers' Account of Trench Life Life in the trenches was horrific; the frontline soldiers dreaded having to return to them. During their tour of duty there, they lived in considerable tension. The trenches were far from safe; possibly one third of all casualties on the Weston front were killed or wounded in the trenches, mostly from artillery fire. In this essay I will be discussing and comparing the accuracy and differences between the soldiers' accounts of the trenches and official accounts composed by the government.
It is evident that WW1 soldiers were deeply impacted by the war. Historians have found numerous journals and diaries that tells personal experiences from soldiers. Especially since this was a war that had a lot of new inventions, these soldiers had a lot to write about. Trench warfare changed the war entirely. Generals had to come up with better fighting tactics to make advances during the war. Prior to WW1 battles were fought out in the open and with less protection. There was no barb wire or sandbags to protect these soldiers. Life in the trenches were rough with constant firing occurring every few seconds. This made it very difficult for them to rest. In the trench soldiers are active all day and have to be ready for combat at all times. The daily journal of Pvt. Donald Fraser gives great detail of what actually took place on the battlefield.
As countries adapted to trench warfare, new techniques and tactics emerged. For instance, the countries made trenches in a zigzag pattern and surrounded them with barbed wire so the enemy could not bomb them in a straight...
“We are under attack!” Jimmy, our patrol man, yells leaping for the trench. A bullet pierces his skull before hits the ground leaving his body lifeless and bloody at my feet.
In the beginning of World War One the common outlook on warfare was that of a primarily mobile and open method of attack. Trench warfare was thought to be a temporary phenomenon which would be replaced by infantry and cavalry skirmishes. No one had predicted that only after a couple of months of open and mobile warfare, the November of 1914 would begin four years of static trench warfare.
taken a shower so once again they had to put up with it. When it
In the time era of world war 1, technology was beginning to advance. The soldiers in the war were deprived of these extensive resources, causing them complications while serving their countries. At nineteen, protagonist Robert Ross experiences trench warfare. As technology advances the soldiers begin to feel the physical, mental and spiritual impact of the insufficient resources. IN The Wars, Findley ultimately shows these detrimental affects, disfiguring Roberts overall well being as a Canadian solider.
her and her ways. She wasn't strong enough to make the trip by herself, but
When World War 1 broke out in 1914, a lot of people joined up for the
... alone. Therefore she fought it; she had complete hope and overcame it. (Source 5)
Trench warfare was introduced in order to bring a barrier between forces. They were dug by soldiers and were very lengthy, but very cramped. Soldiers crouched down for extended periods of time to keep their heads blocked from being a target for the other side. They sat their watching their friends die from disease and from being shot, bombed, or poison gassed while they waited to fire their weapons at the enemy.
fight back. It was this poetry which helped her to fight and left her inspired during the struggles