Aspects Of Trench Warfare

Trench warfare was the major form of battle in World War I. After the battle at the Marne River, the German and Allied troops realized old-fashioned battle was not the way to win this war. They quickly became aware that trenches were safer compared to flat ground. The construction of the trenches took many hours and the conditions were horrible and life threatening. Trench routine consisted of the same tasks done each day, at the same time, in the same general fashion. Trench warfare added many intriguing and new aspects to the industrialization of war.

The battles began in July 1914, but the real war did not begin until a few months later. The German army headed to Paris through Belgium was stopped by British and French troops just outside

“Trench life involved long periods of boredom mixed with brief periods of terror. The threat of death kept soldiers constantly on edge, while poor living conditions and a lack of sleep wore away at their health and stamina.” Rats and lice pestered the soldiers day and night; rats were often oversized, due to the food and waste of stationary armies, and would participate in the spreading of diseases throughout the trenches. In 1918, doctors concluded that lice was the cause of trench fever, which caused the soldiers headaches, fevers and muscle pain. The trenches were unhygienic. Many had a cold, constant dampness that caused trench foot, a frost bite like infection that often led to deterioration and amputation. The unexpected shelling or sniping is what defined trench warfare. The enemy would remain hidden from view and soldiers often felt powerless against the unsuspected and sudden deaths. The inability to defend themselves or their troops in the trench from the shelling or the snipers caused constant hardships, which added to the stress and exhaustion of the

A new form of war which decreased the amount of face to face battle and brought down casualty rates. Construction of the trenches were different for both armies and changed over the four and a half years of war. Conditions were brutal and many soldiers developed trench foot from the cold, damp surroundings of the trench. Soldiers found it easy to fall into routine day after day. Trench warfare changed the history of all military operations and brought many new ideas for impending battles to