Impact of Trench Warfare
Trench warfare was an essential aspect of World War 1. The pros of trench warfare was that the civilian population wasn't as affected, soldiers were well-covered, allowed time for preparation and was beneficial to weaker sides who lack soldier numbers. However there were many cons such as: it did not offer a decisive result, the trenches were muddy and would fill with slushy mud and rainwater when it rained, sanitation was very poor, poison gas could easily kill those who did not put on their gas mask quickly enough, rats and lice were common and the contraction of disease was prevalent.
Living conditions in the trenches were abysmal and soldiers had a very difficult time adapting to their new way of life. In the trenches soldiers would be crammed shoulder to shoulder. This lack of space for the soldiers caused the deaths of many soldiers. These trenches were unclean, putrid and were riddled with disease. Soldiers would only have scraps of food to eat and living in cold, muddy trenches was horrible as it meant that soldiers were more likely to suffer from frostbite, trench foot (a painful condition of the feet caused by long immersion in cold water or mud) and may other diseases (Baker, 2010). The weather also contributed to the misery in the trenches as rain would increase the water level and Winter was freezing. As a result of these living conditions, trench warfare was not used as often in the future.
Trench warfare had a massive impact on soldiers and their families. It caused many deaths and injuries throughout the duration of the war and had a massive effect on the health of the soldiers. If a grenades or mustard gas were thrown into the trenches then the soldiers couldn't move away as the trenches were not very spacious. This would result in the death or injury of the soldiers located in the vicinity of the grenades or mustard gas. Shell shock was a very common reaction of soldiers. It was felt by soldiers who were greatly affected by the deaths of their comrades, the intensity of the battles and the people that they had killed. This had a massive affect on the psychological well being of the person which resulted in former soldiers losing their self-control and attempting to commit suicide (Daniels, 2013). Families were also greatly affected because most would have to deal with the loss of a family member or care for a soldier who returned injured or scarred psychologically. Since the war was prolonged due to trench warfare, the women of the household had to take up male job positions in order to ensure their survival. This meant that women had to work harder to ensure their economic stability. Other women were not as lucky and were forced onto streets with their family causing death and poverty.
Living conditions in the trenches were abysmal and soldiers had a very difficult time adapting to their new way of life. In the trenches soldiers would be crammed shoulder to shoulder. This lack of space for the soldiers caused the deaths of many soldiers. These trenches were unclean, putrid and were riddled with disease. Soldiers would only have scraps of food to eat and living in cold, muddy trenches was horrible as it meant that soldiers were more likely to suffer from frostbite, trench foot (a painful condition of the feet caused by long immersion in cold water or mud) and may other diseases (Baker, 2010). The weather also contributed to the misery in the trenches as rain would increase the water level and Winter was freezing. As a result of these living conditions, trench warfare was not used as often in the future.
Trench warfare had a massive impact on soldiers and their families. It caused many deaths and injuries throughout the duration of the war and had a massive effect on the health of the soldiers. If a grenades or mustard gas were thrown into the trenches then the soldiers couldn't move away as the trenches were not very spacious. This would result in the death or injury of the soldiers located in the vicinity of the grenades or mustard gas. Shell shock was a very common reaction of soldiers. It was felt by soldiers who were greatly affected by the deaths of their comrades, the intensity of the battles and the people that they had killed. This had a massive affect on the psychological well being of the person which resulted in former soldiers losing their self-control and attempting to commit suicide (Daniels, 2013). Families were also greatly affected because most would have to deal with the loss of a family member or care for a soldier who returned injured or scarred psychologically. Since the war was prolonged due to trench warfare, the women of the household had to take up male job positions in order to ensure their survival. This meant that women had to work harder to ensure their economic stability. Other women were not as lucky and were forced onto streets with their family causing death and poverty.