|
|
|
Trench Warfare was not a new system of battle introduced in the Great War. This practice was in fact introduced in the 14th century but the Great War adopted that ancient practice and took it to an altitude it had never experienced before. Trench Warfare revolutionized combat in the Great War. This is a system consisting of sandbags, tunnels, signalers and soldiers overrun by rats, body lice and constant danger.
Life in the trenches was dreadful. Rats and body lice were part of the many hardship soldiers faced. Trench-foot was a major issue for soldiers in the trenches. This is to due to overexposure of the feet to mud and water and cold weather conditions. This excess moisture turns the feet blue. In France, most of the land is at or below sea level and troops would often find water after just three feet of digging a trench, this factor, along with the winter cold, was one of the major causes of trench-foot. If left untreated, this condition leads to amputation. Troops were constantly on the watch for gas attacks and invasion by infiltration and often would fall to shellshock. Shellshock is a soldier's mental breakdown caused by overwhelming conflict and deaths. This condition signifies the soldier can no longer remain on the front-line. Food supply in the trenches was insufficient and the 18 ounces of meat and vegetables initially standardized for the troops was significantly reduced as the war proceeded. The latrines were pits about four feet deep and sanitary duties were often given as discipline to the soldiers. These quarters were overridden by disease-infested rats and very unsanitary. Signalers and snipers went hand in hand in the trench warfare system, when a signaler would expose his head to send a message, he would often be the target of an enemy sniper. Sandbags on the parapet, |
which is the front of the trench, and the fact that the trench was twelve feet deep, gave protection from enemy fire. Trenches were built in zigzags to minimize casualty. On the other hand, the depth of the trench and its curved shape would not shield its soldiers from enemy air strikes. Gas attacks were a major issue and often lead in asphyxiation and that lead to the wide-use of the gas mask, and the overly paranoid attitude of the soldier. Soldiers would take position with a rifle at hand on the fire-step, which is the mount on the side of the trench, and aim and shoot at enemy soldiers. Actual dugouts were built in the trench and soldiers would try to catch some sleep from time to time although it was deemed unsafe. These dugouts were used when a soldier would temporary leave his post and at times when the area was free of conflict. No-Man's Land was the area between the two enemy posts and whoever attempted to cross that field would be an instant target. Tunnels were built under No Man's Land in order to lay explosives under enemy trenches and wipe out its occupants. Both sides adopted this method and often would have to listen in to know if a tunnel was being built under its trench because a single pack of explosive would eliminate an entire trench and its corps.
This system of warfare in The Great War was somewhat effective in keeping fighters alive. Although troops were shields from enemy fire to a certain degree, the sanitary problems certainly affected the death toll of soldiers in the trenches. Some would argue that this concept was useless in that a significant population of the military force in the trenches fell casualty. The reality is, trench warfare and its functions did not genuinely protect the troops but merely delayed their deaths a day or two. |