Trench+Warfare

Jess and Tony

Who: The Allies and Germans When: During World War I Where: Battlegrounds of WWI Importance: Trench Warfare brought back old weapons like grenades, increased the use of poison gas, and contributed to the stalemate that occurred on the Western Front. It also contributed to many soldiers being killed not by their enemies but by the many diseases that could be contracted in the trenches. Trench Warfare compelled the armies to bring back old weapons that hadn’t been used in a while. For example, grenades and trench mortars were used because it was easier to throw something into someone else’s trench than to wait until they came out to shoot them. It also increased the use of poison gas. The area in between the trenches was called No Man’s Land. No Man’s Land probably contributed to the stale mate that occurred because, once out of your trench, you were a sitting duck. Everyone could see and had a clear shot at you. Because of this, soldiers started only coming out at night or early morning. "The Allies used four "types" of trenches. The first, the front-line trench (or firing-and-attack trench), was located from 50 yards to 1 mile from the German's front trench. Several hundred yards behind the front-line trench was the support trench, with men and supplies that could immediately assist those on the front line. The reserve trench was dug several hundred yards further back and contained men and supplies that were available in emergencies should the first trenches be overrun." (PBS). Communication trenches were trenches that connected first three. The soldiers would rotate though so each person got to be in each trench at some point. German trenches were much different and were completely underground, some even had electricity and toilets, much unlike the Allies.

Trench were havens for diseases. Disease spreading animals like rats, lice and certain frogs lead to many soldiers coming down with a illness that could potentially kill them. Many of the British troops came down with disease becuase the trenches they built weren't meant to permanent.Unlike the British trenches, German trenches were much cleaner and didn't get as nasty as the British trenches. One disease called Trench Foot was responsible for many of the casualties in WW1. Trench Foot came as a result of one foot in cold water for to long. 

"The constant immersion in icy cold water played havoc with the feet, and made them swell to such an extent that at times it was agony to keep on one's boot. To take them off, however, to gain relief would have been fatal, as it would be impossible to pull them on again."(Ross)

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This was a very common disease a the beginning of the war but began to fade once conditions in trenches got better.Rats and lice were big disease spreaders in the trenches. Soldiers even shaved all of their hair of to avoid the lice from getting to them. Since these trenches were essentially there homes, they were basically living with rats. Rats were a nuisance but were soon for gotten as the threat of the enemy and the will to live made them seem invisible. ======






PBS. “The Trenches: Symbol of Stalemate.” //The Great War.// < []<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">>. 17 March, 2009. <span style="font-size: 16pt; color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Duffy, Michael. “Weapons of War: Machine Guns.” //First World// //War.com.// 3 May, 2003. <[]>. 17 March, 2009.

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