Trench Warfare
Soldier fighting in a trench
The fighting style of trench warfare, where soldiers fought from inside of trenches, began in 1914. Trenches were built in zigzag patterns to prevent enemies from having major attacks and so no one could map the trenches. There would be two trenches across from each other; one for each opposing side. In between trenches was what is known as “No-Man’s Land”. Thousands of soldiers died while trying to cross No Man’s Land to enemy trenches. Many were shot down or killed during this attempt.·
Conditions were harsh; trenches were full of water, dead bodies, and parasites such as rodents and insects. Food quality was poor, and many soldiers developed conditions such as trench foot. Trench warfare was extremely deadly; millions of soldiers died every day. Some would even injure themselves so they would not have to continue fighting. At this point, the war became whereas the side with the most men would win.
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Below are primary source documents written by people who actually experienced trench warfare:
Conditions were harsh; trenches were full of water, dead bodies, and parasites such as rodents and insects. Food quality was poor, and many soldiers developed conditions such as trench foot. Trench warfare was extremely deadly; millions of soldiers died every day. Some would even injure themselves so they would not have to continue fighting. At this point, the war became whereas the side with the most men would win.
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Below are primary source documents written by people who actually experienced trench warfare:
If you have never had trench feet described to you, I will tell you. Your feet
swell two to three times their normal size and go completely dead. You could
stick a bayonet into them and not feel a thing. If you are fortunate enough not
to lose your feet and the swelling begins to go down, it is then that the
intolerable, indescribable agony begins. I have heard men cry and even scream
with the pain and many had to have their feet amputated.”
-Sergeant Harry Roberts
“The other one said to me ‘Chas, I am going home to my wife and kids. I’ll be
some use to them as a cripple, but none at all dead! I am starving here, and so
are they at home, we may as well starve together.’ With that he fired a shot
through his boot. When the medics got his boot off, two of his toes and a lot of
his foot had gone. But the injuring oneself to get out of it was quite common.”
–Charles Young