History Of Trench Warfare

Trench Warfare devastated the British and French soldiers fighting in France during World War One through physical problems like Trench Foot and other physical trauma. Trench Warfare devastated the British and French soldiers fighting in France during World War One through physical problems like Trench Foot. Trench Foot was a major disease that affected most soldiers that fought in trenches during World War One. Trench Foot was caused by circulatory changes in the foot caused by cold weather, wet mud, and pressure. Trenches were only a few feet above sea level so there was constant flooding, while soldiers fought in the trenches all day. "Soldiers would stand out in the cold slime day after day until their feet swelled, went numb, and began

When soldiers realized what was happening to their feet, they started prevention. "Prevention included improvement of trench environment; modification of footwear worn by the men; and the provision of greases to protect them from moisture" (Atenstaedt). Soldiers changed their socks frequently and rubbed whale oil on their feet so they can stop the moisture from the mud in the trenches. For the soldiers that forgot to prevent from the moisture or were too late and got the disease, medical assistance was available at the time to take soldiers out of battle and into medical treatment. The British Red Cross had the main task of developing ambulance teams for the battle of Verdun in France. The status of their work was described in their journal, "the nature of the assistance that the British Red Cross society has been affecting in the Verdun fight can be described as...fighting line evacuation work" (British). The ambulance service helped soldiers who were trapped in battle because of the loss of mobility from Trench Foot. Trench Foot was one of the most popular physical diseases created by Trench Warfare that devastated the British and French soldiers fighting in France during World War

Trench Warfare devastated the British and French soldiers fighting in France during World War One through the destruction of land. Shell bursts and land mines were a vital factor in the destruction of French land during World War One. "If you were a British officer peering into no man's land, what met your gaze resembled the cratered surface of the moon..." (Hochschild 135). The shell bursts that were launched from allied and enemy trenches completed destroyed French land, which made it hard for soldiers to move across the battlefield. Besides explosions, land was destroyed by militaries building camps and trenches for the war. "The simple presence of military forces took land out of agricultural use for camps, training grounds, firing ranges, airfields, and many other purposes, and gave rise to localized destruction" (Clout 33). The presence of the military gave rise to localized destruction, which ruins the natural resources that soldiers can use. The military also ravaged the land and used anything they came across for themselves in battle. A French soldier reported: "Close to the front, the enemy stripped houses of doors, shutters, cupboards and especially bedding, which they carried into the trenches...They slaughtered farm animals, taking the best parts to eat and leaving the rest to rot" (Clout 33-34). The