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The Importance Of Trench Warfare

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Trench warfare is a kind of warfare that entails battling on land; trenches are channels that soldiers dig in the ground to protect themselves from enemy barrages, and usually use sandbags to stop any incoming lethal ammunition and bullets. Trench warfare played a vital role in making World War I very destructive and devastating, especially in the western front. However, it has now evolved into becoming a synonym for stalemate and futility in conflict, due to the rapid scientific and technical innovation that took place over the past 100 years.
Trench warfare was established as a type of warfare ever since the revolution in firepower wasn’t matched by similar improvements in military mobility. Resulting in a demanding form of combat in which …show more content…

Trench warfare could also impact a person’s mental stability and health as a result of witnessing heart-breaking scenes, mainly death. Trenches also limit your movement to a couple of meters for a long period of time (until a battle is won or lost), which could drive a soldier crazy.

During World War I on the Western Front, opposing sides created intricate dugout systems protected by barbed wire to ultimately slow down the enemy. The land in-between the opposing sides is referred to as “no mans land”, due to its extreme vulnerability to artillery fire from both sides. The efficacy of trench warfare eventually ended as a result of the adoption and invention of the tank.
Trenches did grant you somewhat of an advantage since you were able to take cover, in order to dodge incoming artillery fired by the enemy forces. Defensive tactics and mind-sets did however prove to be more successful, since the attacking side had to pass “no mans land” to get to enemy lines, which proved to be an impossible task as many heavy machine guns that can fire up to 600 rounds per minute were lined up to cut down lines of invaders.

An average trench used in war would be 2 meters deep and 2 meters wide. Therefore, the trenches were prone to poisonous gas and explosions, and many would suffer from ‘shell shock’, as a result of the shells exploding. Soldiers wore constricted shoes in damp environments, which meant they would bear trench feet (severe swelling) after a certain period of time. Not to mention that rats also infested the tight

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