CT2 Flashcards
What is conscription?
Forcing people to join the army, rather than relying on people volunteering
What was the western front?
The zone of fighting that stretched from Switzerland to the English Channel
What is a battalion?
Fighting unit of up to 1,000 men
What were allied forces?
British troops and those of Britain’s allies
What was no man’s land?
The area between the front-line trenches of opposing sides. The land didn’t belong to anyone so it was used for fighting.
What was communication trenches?
Trenches that connected the different lines of trenches and were used to transport men, equipment and food supplies.
What was artillery
Large-calibre guns used in warfare on land
What were duckboards?
A board consisting of a number of wooden slats joined.
What was bombardment
A continuous attack with shells (shelling), intended to destroy trench defences, especially barbed wire.
247,000
The regular soldiers in the british army
January 1916
Parliament passed an Act that introduced conscription into the British army for the first time.
1.1 million
The amount of men enlisted in the British armed force.
Field Marshall Lord Kitchener
He was a senior officer in the British army. He believed the war would last a long time, and so Britain would need a big army.
Jutland
The only big battle at sea. Neither side was a clear winner.
1st July 1916
First day of the battle of the Somme
15 km
The land that Britain gained
Why would people join the army?
Persuaded-guilt
Impress women
Protect family
Pressured-external factors
Help country
Go with friends
Thought it was cool
What was censorship
Removing bad things from army men letters
What were the conditions of the trench warfare?
Unhygienic
Intense cold
Cramped
Muddy
Food id decent
Exhaustion
Miserable
Boredom
What was the work in trench warfare?
filling sandbags
Mending trenches
sentry duty
guard duty
officer
sargents
rest
fight
What were the dangers of trench warfare?
Mental illness- shell shock
Trench foot
Lice infestations
Giant rats
Musterd gas
Drowning
Snipers
Barb wire
When did the Battle of the Somme end?
18 November 1916
How many British and commonwealth soldiers were killed on the first dayof the battle of the Somme
20,000
1st reason why the battle of the Somme went bad on the first day?
The shelling made the barbed wire worse. Which slowed down the English