Combat in WW1 Flashcards
Trench Warfare - What was it?
Troops dug networks of trenches, stretching from the sea to the border, and the trenches were terrible. Dead bodies piled up inside them, and a man could lose a finger if he stuck one above the top of the trench. Trenches would be stormed and bayonets, fists, rocks, and grenades were all used.
Gas at Ypres - What was it?
Ypres was the first place that poison gas was used in combat, by the Germans. It took out many Canadian lines, and killed many many men. They resorted to breathing through soaked cloths, but it was no good. They did not have gas masks yet. The poem “In Flanders Fields” was written there.
New Technology - What was it?
1) Poison gas was introduced in the 2nd Battle of Ypres
2) The British introduced the tank, but there were too few to truly revolutionize the war.
3) Machine gus revolutionized war, and were common in trench nests.
4) Airplanes were used as scouts until later in the war.
5) Germans had huge blimps that they would use.
VPK Camera - What was it?
The “VPK” camera refers to the “Vest Pocket Kodak,” a small, portable camera that was widely used by soldiers during World War 1, allowing them to capture personal photographs of their experiences on the battlefield, as it was compact enough to carry in a vest pocket and was marketed as “the soldier’s camera” by Kodak; essentially providing a unique visual record of the war from the perspective of those fighting it.
