Trench warfare is a type of fighting where both sides build deep trenches as a defense against the enemy. During trench raids, soldiers would aim to kill the enemy, take prisoners and gather information. It centers around the concept of stalemate by wearing down the opponents. Soldier suffering from trench foot. Trench Warfare: Trench war fare in world war one was one of the most harsh ways of fighting however also one of the most affective. It had been used in the American Civil War (1861-65), the Boer War (1899-1902) and in other conflicts. Trench warfare had a massive impact on soldiers as it caused huge amounts of casualties on the battlefield and also caused health problems of the battlefield. Australian soldiers that had survived the war and come home were still being greatly impacted by the war. With advances in military technology and firepower, trench warfare became a defensive strategy as the troops did not have the same advances to help their mobility. How did the advancements in science, warfare, weapons, and stalemate affect the war? 7 ExcerptsofWWILettersfromSoldiers ! It was the industrialised weaponry of World War I that made trench warfare the norm rather than an occasional strategy. Although trench warfare brought positives to our troops, it also brought negatives. I liked to ask for the answer to be the trench warfare's impact and not the Great war as much as possible. 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. WW1 Trench Warfare: Home; The Western Front; Trench Life ; Health issues and Dangers; Fighting and the impact on soldiers and their families; References ; Heath issues and dangers. Welcome! 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. It came as a blessing in disguise for soldiers when frontal assaults had become virtual suicides owing to the introduction of new weapons, which were not j… Trench warfare was not itself an invention of World War I. Trench warfare was used as a protection tactic to stop soldiers getting killed, it sure did that, but many soldiers died in the trenches as well because the trenches are as good as a death note. your username. The soldiers of World War 1 were the first to develop "shell shock". "It was quite crowded and uncomfortable for the soldiers who were fighting as it would have been dirty with vermin poo, rubbish and also used ammunition" (Hudson & Adam, 2012). 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. Many viewed trench warfare to be an effective tactic against enemy advancement. During World War One, trenches was first used because of the new advances in military warfare. These trenches can stretch for many miles and make it nearly impossible for one side to advance. By the end of October 1914, the whole front in Belgium and France had solidified into lines of trenches, which lasted until the last weeks of the war. It was very easy to become sick whilst living in the trenches, it was also very dangerous and the soldiers lives were always at … The trenches sure served their purpose but many soldiers still died in the trenches … Trench warfare was a large contributing factor to the stalemate of the Western Front as well as during the Allies Gallipoli Campaign. Trench warfare was used as a tactic to prevent as many soldiers dying. Film of trench-digging in 1918, from The Australians' Final Campaign in 1918 Although there had been some trench warfare in the American Civil War of 1861 - 65, and the Russian-Japanese War of 1904 - 05, it wasn't until the First World War that fixed trench warfare became the standard form of fighting. trench warfare a method of fighting in which troops fight from fixed positions and seek to capture enemy trenches front‐line ... indicated what impact the machine gun might have. Trench warfare is a form of static, defensive warfare. Retrieved from http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWfoot.htm on the 17th of November, 2013. The most recent use of use of trench warfare, before World War I, took place during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). Trench warfare, combat in which armies attack, counterattack, and defend from relatively permanent systems of trenches dug into the ground. During World War I, the western front in France was fought using trench warfare. The trenches worked well by protecting soldiers from small artillery and enemy fire, but once a grenade or mustard gas landed in them the soldiers had nowhere to go. First, it cost many soldiers to lose their lives once they left the security of the trenches. Trench Warfare Explain trench warfare in relation to the AIF experiences on the Western Front and the ongoing impact on the soldiers and their families . Secondly, trench warfare made troops realize how futile the war was. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. The primary reason for the death and destruction of the war was the Industrial Revolution. The impact of trench warfare on soldiers and their families was massive; it caused lots of deaths and injuries on the battlefields and also to the soldier's health. The prevalent conduct of war on the Western Front of the First World War is unmistakably trench warfare. Impact of new technology . The trenches that were used provided a form of protection for the troops, as it protected them from enemy fire. Hiding from your opponent was cowardly, but it worked rather than being exposed to your opponent. Trench Warfare could be viewed as good because twisted trenches made within WWl could prevent bombings due to the zigzag shape shape of them it would be hard to bomb them, but it would also make deaths within them easier than usual too due to the fact that grenades could be thrown in and kill many soldiers at once. Trench warfare had a great impact on the soldiers during WWI. The impact of trench warfare would linger in their minds for the rest of their lives, their nightmares of the war would leave them “lying awake in a cold sweat in the dead of night” for the majority of their lives. A trench was generally 10 feet deep and 6 feet wide so It was quite crowded and uncomfortable for the soldiers who were fighting as it would have been dirty with vermin poo, rubbish and also used ammunition, there was dead comrades and enemy soldiers scattered around the floor of the trench making it very smelly and unhealthy, and also rats and other pests crawling around the floor, eating away at the injured and rotting soldiers. Positives and Negatives of Trench Warfare. As its name suggests, ‘trench warfare’ is a form of warfare in which either both or one of the two sides resort to defensive emplacements lodged in trenches to hold their position and be safe from enemy’s firearms. Shell shock is defined as " mentally confused, upset, or exhausted as a result of excessive stress or battle fatigue". Trench warfare was used as a protection tactic to stop soldiers getting killed, it sure did that, but many soldiers died in the trenches as well because the trenches are as good as a death note. The impact of trench warfare on soldiers and their families was massive; it caused lots of deaths and injuries on the battlefields and also to the soldier's health. It caused many deaths and injuries throughout the duration of the war and had a massive effect on the health of the soldiers. It is an assessment. Trench warfare became archetypically associated with the World War I (1914–1918), when the Race to the Sea rapidly expanded trench use on the Western Front starting in September 1914. If not the direct answer some sources that can lead to the would be helpful too. By the end of the war, however, as cases of shell shock soared and came to include officers as well as enlisted men, the British military built several military hospitals devoted to caring for these men. It was a hard time, and harder still for the soldier returning home after the war. The impact the war made on the soldiers and their families was enormous. Firstly, a positive that trench warfare brought was the protection it brought to the people inside the trenches. The impact of trench warfare on soldiers and their families was massive; it caused lots of deaths and injuries on the battlefields and also to the soldier's health. Trench warfare is resorted to when the superior firepower of the defense compels the opposing forces to ‘dig in,’ … Trench warfare had a massive impact on soldiers and their families. Trench warfare has opened up a new way to fight a war. Within trench warfare comes many parts, some including the dieses and sickness that the soldiers were prone to also the harsh ways of battle resulting in thousands of casualties, along with the limit in food and daily necessities. Trenches—long, deep ditches dug as protective defenses—are most often associated with World War I, and the results of trench warfare in that conflict were hellish indeed. The first Trench Raids took place in 1914 and were seen as a good way of maintaining an ‘offensive spirit’ during the stalemate of trench warfare. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. I need to write an essay for Friday and I have no idea what it is and what to write. Soldier suffering from trench foot. The effects of trench warfare were very negative. The Legacy of Trench Warfare Due in part to the Allies' use of tanks in the last year of the war, the stalemate was finally broken. This war attracted worldwide attention among military authorities that were interested in studying the latest technology used in war. Trench warfare was horrible and scary due to the fact that every minute bombs were dropping down into them. % The%soldiers%at%the%front%need%more%rest.%While%in%the%trenches%the%water%is%over%our%knees%most%of%the%time.% Trench Structure The trenches were not built parallel with each other but were built weaving so it was harder for the enemy to shoot soldiers in the trench Not like this, as it leaves soldiers too vulnerable Trenches were built like this as it allowed for defensive and offensive positions Zigzag line as a defensive measure - minimized impact of a shell landing in the trench and meant that attackers didn't have a … Trench Warfare- Trench Warfare was a new form of warfare that was not traditional. Many psychological problems developed because of the harsh conditions in the tranches. 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