Trench Warfare
Trench warfare is a form of land warfare that was used primarily during World War 1 on the Western Front but was employed during ancient times as well. Trench warfare involved two opposing sides conducting battle from a series of ditches dug in the ground. This type of warfare was imperative when two sides faced a stalemate. This occurred when neither army were able to advance or overtake each other. In World War 1, trench warfare was first employed during the First Battle of the Marne (September 1914) when the Germans were pushed back by the Allies (consisted of 25 worldwide nations). To avert losing more ground, the Germans dug into the ground. The Allies then copied this strategy because of their inability to break through the German's line of defence. This resulted in the armies not progressing because of the difference in how war was being waged. Previous strategies such as head-on infantry attacks were no longer effective against the modern weaponry being used. This supposed temporary strategy soon evolved into a prime aspect of the First World War (Daniels, 2013).
Trenches were deep ditches that were generally 2 metres deep by 2 metres wide. Trenches were usually built according to the terrain but they usually followed the same design. Trenches were shaped in a zigzag pattern so that enemies could not kill the soldiers straight down the line if they entered. A standard trench system consisted of a line of three or four trenches that were parallel to each other and were generally 100 to 400 yards apart from each other. These trenches were the front line, the support trench and the reserve trench. The main trench lines were all connected by communication trenches which allowed for the transfer of messages, supplies and soldiers. The parapet was the front wall of the trench that averaged 10 feet high. The parapet served to protect the soldiers but also blocked their view. A fire-step was built into the lower part of the ditch to allow for soldiers to peer over the top (peep holes were usually put in sandbags). Periscopes and mirrors were also utilised to look over the sandbags. The parados was located at the back of the trench and was lined with sandbags to protect the soldiers from an attack from the rear. These trench barriers were reinforced with sandbags, logs and branches because trench walls collapsed often as a result of the constant shelling and frequent rainfall. The trenches were also protected by fields of barbed wire located in between the opposing trenches to prevent enemy progression. This area was called 'no man's land' and was usually 50-300 yards (McMahon, 2013). Some trenches enclosed dugouts that were below the trench floor. These were often twenty to thirty feet deep and offered conveniences such as beds, furniture and stoves. World War 1 was fought a lot differently to any previous war in history. Soldiers slept, ate and died in the trenches. If they so much as stuck their head out to view the battlefield they had the chance of being killed. This led to a stalemate that ultimately prolonged the duration of the war.
Trenches were deep ditches that were generally 2 metres deep by 2 metres wide. Trenches were usually built according to the terrain but they usually followed the same design. Trenches were shaped in a zigzag pattern so that enemies could not kill the soldiers straight down the line if they entered. A standard trench system consisted of a line of three or four trenches that were parallel to each other and were generally 100 to 400 yards apart from each other. These trenches were the front line, the support trench and the reserve trench. The main trench lines were all connected by communication trenches which allowed for the transfer of messages, supplies and soldiers. The parapet was the front wall of the trench that averaged 10 feet high. The parapet served to protect the soldiers but also blocked their view. A fire-step was built into the lower part of the ditch to allow for soldiers to peer over the top (peep holes were usually put in sandbags). Periscopes and mirrors were also utilised to look over the sandbags. The parados was located at the back of the trench and was lined with sandbags to protect the soldiers from an attack from the rear. These trench barriers were reinforced with sandbags, logs and branches because trench walls collapsed often as a result of the constant shelling and frequent rainfall. The trenches were also protected by fields of barbed wire located in between the opposing trenches to prevent enemy progression. This area was called 'no man's land' and was usually 50-300 yards (McMahon, 2013). Some trenches enclosed dugouts that were below the trench floor. These were often twenty to thirty feet deep and offered conveniences such as beds, furniture and stoves. World War 1 was fought a lot differently to any previous war in history. Soldiers slept, ate and died in the trenches. If they so much as stuck their head out to view the battlefield they had the chance of being killed. This led to a stalemate that ultimately prolonged the duration of the war.