Why Did Militaries Use Trench Warfare Trenches

Introduction

World War 1 was the biggest war and definitely the worst. Trench warfare was a big part of the war. Militaries used trenches as a useful strategy on the battlefield. They protected the soldiers, but they had their disadvantages which questioned if trenches was a successful strategy.

Trenches and the purpose of them

Trenches was a strategy used by military forces during World War 1. Open covers like rocks and logs were not enough to protect a soldier from enemy fire. Trench warfare became necessary when two armies were opposite each other, neither side able to advance or overtake the other. Trenches are long narrow holes usually about 2 metres deep, dug by soldiers used to protect them from enemy fire. They were very effective,

They were used everywhere during World War 1 especially in Europe. The first trenches were dug in September 1914 in Europe between Germany and France, Which the Germans called ‘The Western Front’. The Western Front was the main theatre of war during World War 1, it was one of the most famous and deadly trenches in WW1. It was where the Germans and the French fought. The trench was 700 km long, where it ran from the Belgian coast to the Swiss border. It was like a deep, thick trench zigzagging from Melbourne to Canberra. The Western front had the worst number of casualties recorded. One third of casualties on the Western Front were actually sustained in the trenches. The Eastern Front was another line of trenches in Europe used by Russia. Which the Russians sometimes called the "Second Fatherland War". It was a major theatre of operations in World War

Lice was said to be a never ending problem, as they would breed in the seams of the men’s clothes causing an unbearable itch. They also carried disease and were the cause of trench fever. Trench fever was a particularly painful disease which caused severe pains and high fevers. It also resulted in headaches, aching muscles and skin sores. There were other pest like the frogs found in bullet shells covered in water and beetles and slug on the side of the trenches. These pest were not a big problem for the diggers.

Food was another factor of the horrible conditions in the trenches. The soldiers in the Western Front were very critical of their food. They were very cautious of the quantity and quality of the food they received. The bulk of their diet was canned corn beef and biscuits. In the winter the supply of flour was short, so bread was being made with dried ground turnips. The only food was now pea-soup with a few lumps of horsemeat, causing some soldiers to starve, sometimes to