TRENCH WARFARETRENCH WARFARE

Thursday February 14thThursday February 14th

November, 1914: the November, 1914: the digging of trenchesdigging of trenches

After the failure of the Schlieffen Plan in September, After the failure of the Schlieffen Plan in September, 1914, the Germans retreated to the River Aisne.1914, the Germans retreated to the River Aisne.

There they “dug in” by digging trenches and waited for There they “dug in” by digging trenches and waited for the French and British to counter-attack.the French and British to counter-attack.

They failed to shift the Germans and so they too began They failed to shift the Germans and so they too began digging trenches in case the Germans attacked them.digging trenches in case the Germans attacked them.

In the winter of 1914, the trench system took shape, In the winter of 1914, the trench system took shape, running from the Belgian coast to the Swiss border: running from the Belgian coast to the Swiss border: over 700 Km long.over 700 Km long.

Trench WarfareTrench Warfare - - a form of land warfare using occupied a form of land warfare using occupied fighting lines consisting largely of trenchesfighting lines consisting largely of trenches

Trench system: aerial viewTrench system: aerial view

Small trenches rapidly grew deeper and more complex, gradually becoming vast areas of interlocking defensive works

British trenches

German trenches

What did they look like?

Trench system: aerial viewTrench system: aerial view

“No man’s land” varied in distance depending on the battlefield. On the

Western Front it was typically between 300 and 500 feet, though only 90 feet on

Vimy Ridge.

Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye View

Zig-zagged pattern

This meant that a soldier could see no more than 10 meters along the length of the trench.

Why were trenches

necessary in World War I ?

Vickers Machine GunVickers Machine Gun

This new and powerful weapon could “mow down” soldiers trying to attack

Machine guns needed 4-6 men to work them and had the fire power of 100 guns

Gas AttacksGas Attacks

Chlorine and Mustard gas would slow down attackers, causing burns and suffocation

What was lifelike in the trenches?

Sanitary conditions in the trenches were quite poor, and common infections included dysentery, typhus, and cholera

Rats became common, and grew large as they would

eat the soldier’s food

Poor hygiene also led to conditions such as trench mouth

and trench foot

But what was life REALLY like in the trench?

At the age of 92, Arthur Savage was At the age of 92, Arthur Savage was asked about his memories of life on the asked about his memories of life on the Western Front.Western Front.

““My memories are of sheer terror and My memories are of sheer terror and the horror of seeing men sobbing the horror of seeing men sobbing because they had trench foot that had because they had trench foot that had turned gangrenous. They knew they turned gangrenous. They knew they were going to lose a leg. were going to lose a leg.

Memories of lice in your Memories of lice in your clothing driving you crazy. clothing driving you crazy. Filth and lack of privacy. Of Filth and lack of privacy. Of huge rats that showed no huge rats that showed no fear of you as they stole fear of you as they stole your food rations. And cold your food rations. And cold deep wet mud everywhere.deep wet mud everywhere.

And of course, corpses. I'd never And of course, corpses. I'd never seen a dead body before I went to seen a dead body before I went to war. But in the trenches the dead war. But in the trenches the dead are lying all around you. You are lying all around you. You could be talking to the fellow next could be talking to the fellow next to you when suddenly he'd be hit to you when suddenly he'd be hit by a sniper and fall dead beside by a sniper and fall dead beside you. And there he‘d stay for you. And there he‘d stay for days.”days.”

Words You Should Know:Words You Should Know:

Trench Trench Trench warfareTrench warfare No-man’s landNo-man’s land Over the topOver the top

Your Task: Create Your Own TrenchYour Task: Create Your Own TrenchLook at the image below for # “must-have” Look at the image below for # “must-have”

elements.elements.

No man’s land

The trench

Sand bags and barbed wire

Machine gun nest

At least 2 people