Trench Warfare Essay, Research Paper

World War I was a military struggle that lasted from 1914 to 1918. It was a modern war with aeroplanes, machine guns, and armored combat vehicles. However, the commanding officers frequently fought World War I as if it were a nineteenth Century war. They would process their military personnels across unfastened land into the face of machine guns and frequently slaughter. As a consequence of this action, a tactic known as trench warfare was implemented.

The most recent usage of usage of trench warfare, before World War I, took topographic point during the Russo-Japanese War ( 1904-1905 ) . This war attracted world-wide attending among military governments that were interested in analyzing the latest engineering used in war. Many viewed trench warfare to be an effectual maneuver against enemy promotion. Because of this position, trench warfare proved to be, in World War I, an uneffective and traumatising experience for all.

In September 1914, the German commanding officer, General Erich von Falkenhayn ordered his military personnels to delve trenched that would supply protection from the allied military personnels. When the Alliess reached the trench, they shortly realized that they could non interrupt through the line that the trench provided. They besides realized that the trench provided the Germans with shelter from their fire. Soon after, the Alliess began to delve their ain trenches and, hence, trench warfare began.

Not really long, after the first trenches of the war were dug, a web of trenches arose. This web spread across France and Belgium for many stat mis. Within the web, there were three different types of trenches: front line trenches, support trenches, and modesty trenches.

The first line of trenches was called front line trenches. These were normally two metres deep and had a zigzag form to forestall enemy fire from brushing the full length of the trench. In order to forestall the trench signifier caving in, sandbags were stacked against the trench walls. Between the trenches of opposing forces laid no adult male & # 8217 ; s land. This country between the opposing front line trenches was filled with barbed wire and mines to forestall enemy crossing. If a soldier was of all time injured in no adult male & # 8217 ; s land, he normally was killed because of his exposure to enemy fire.

The 2nd and 3rd types of trenches were the support and modesty trenches, severally. These trenches were constructed to easy travel supplies and military personnels to the forepart trenches. All of the trenches were linked to each other by other trenches, belowground tunnels, or telephone communications webs. Barbwire was besides stretched across the line to protect from enemy onslaught.

While the design of the trenches and the web of trenches seemed like a great tactic, the world of the life in the trenches was a different narrative. Life in the trenches took its toll on the soldiers involved in the war. The soldiers in the front line trenches frequently stayed at that place for at least 10 yearss at a clip, normally with really small slumber. & # 8220 ; Katczinsky is right when he says it would non be such a bad war if merely one could acquire more slumber. In the line we have following to none, and 14 yearss is a long clip at one stretch & # 8221 ; ( p.2 ) . The chief ground that soldiers on the front line could non kip was to be on guard against nut

emy sneak onslaughts.

Another ground that the soldiers were really tired is that dark was used as a clip for readying and care of the trenches. The trenches were invariably being destroyed, either by enemy shellfire, or H2O harm. Many times, soldiers would be buried alive by the fall ining trench walls. Paul, in All Quiet on the Western Front, states & # 8220 ; Our trench is about gone. At many topographic points, it is merely 18 inches high, it is broken by holes, and craters, and mountains of earth. & # 8221 ; ( p.107 ) .

Along with really small slumber and the devastation of trenches, soldiers besides had to worry about undertaking trench pes. Trench pes is an infection of the pess caused by moisture and unsanitary conditions. Soldiers stood for hours on terminal in boggy trenches without being able to take wet socks or boots. This caused their pess to bit by bit travel numb and their tegument to turn ruddy or bluish. If these conditions went untreated, they would turn mortified and consequence in amputation.

Another major concern for soldiers in the trenches was dysentery. Dysentery is a disease affecting the redness of the liner of the big bowel. The redness caused tummy strivings, diarrhoea, and normally purging or febrility. The chief causes of dysentery were bacteriums come ining the organic structure through the oral cavity, contact with human fecal matters, and contact with septic people. Dysentery chiefly struck the soldiers because of improper sanitation from latrine usage in the trenches.

Another major concern for soldiers in the trenches was the rats. Many times, in the trenches, the organic structures of soldiers were buried in the walls of the trenches. If a wall fell, a big figure of break uping organic structures would go open. These principals, every bit good as nutrient garbages, attracted big Numberss of rats. As Paul provinces in All Quiet on the Western Front, & # 8220 ; The rats here are peculiarly abhorrent, they are so fat & # 8211 ; the sort we call corpse rats. They have flooring, evil, bare faces, and it is sickening to see their long, bare tails. & # 8221 ; ( p.102 ) . The rats would banquet on the eyes of the dead soldiers foremost and so excavate out the balance of the cadaver. Since one brace of rats can bring forth 880 offspring per twelvemonth, one can merely conceive of the figure of rats that swarmed the trenches.

Trench warfare lasted for about four old ages. At the terminal of World War I, the web of trenches extended for more than 600 stat mis across the countryside. Through the class of the war, many soldiers lost their lives non merely to the combat that was involved, but besides to the utmost conditions that they had to digest in the trenches. Many old ages after the war, governments realized the existent cost of trench warfare. World War I was the last clip that the maneuver of trench warfare was of all time used.

Remarque, Erich Maria ( 1958 ) . All Quiet on the Western Front. New York: Ballantine Books.

Strout, J. ( 1997 ) . Life in the Trenches. [ On-line ] . Available: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.vac-acc.gc.ca/recollect/audio.htm ( July 1999 ) .

Thomas, R. ( 1999 ) . On the Fire Step. [ On line ] . Available: hypertext transfer protocol: //users.erols.com/rhephner/index.html ( July 1999 ) .

Wright, J.R. ( 1998 ) . World War One. [ On Line ] . Available: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.spartacus.schoolnet.co ( July 1999 ) .