Trench Warfare. Flashcards
Describe the trenches.
Trenches were usually about seven feet deep and six feet wide. Duck-boards were placed at the bottom of the trenches to protect soldiers from problems such as trench foot. Soldiers made dugouts in the sides of the trenches to give them some protection from the weather and enemy fire. The front-line trenches were also protected by barbed wire and machine-gun posts.
Why did trench warfare lead to a stalemate?
Trench warfare led to a stalemate because both sides lost too many soldiers and any further action would just lead to more and more problems and deadlier consequences.
War on the western front was very dangerous. There were many diseases and nobody wanted to get out of the trenches to face what was to come.
Explain what barbed wire did to advancing infantry.
Another reason why stalemate developed on the Western Front was the use of barbed wire. The opposing armies planted barbed wire fences to inhibit the advance of enemy troops across the front line when they attacked. The prevalence of barbed wire was problematic because advancing infantry were placed at a significant disadvantage as they were held up by the barbed wire whilst under sustained gunfire.
Why did barbed wire prolong the stalemate?
As the war became prolonged, trench systems became more highly developed and as part of this complex barbed wire formations were created, with traps to channel advancing infantry towards defending guns. Accordingly the widespread use of barbed wire encouraged stalemate because it made it much easier to defend trenches and thus reduced the likelihood of swift, decisive infantry advances.
Give an example where the British tried to break the stalemate by attacking and why it failed.
Indeed, the problem of barbed wire delaying infantry advances was recognised by the British Army prior to the Battle of the Somme, for along this front in the seven days preceding the advance of Allied troops there was mass artillery bombardment of German positions, principally with the aim of destroying the German barbed wire fences (however this just made the situation worse as the barbed wire became more jagged and impassable). The use of barbed wire was particularly serious given the combination of its use with the widespread adoption of the machine gun.
Why did developing trenches prolong the stalemate?
The development of the trenches to incorporate things such as fire steps made soldiers less likely to leave the trenches, and this delayed a decisive breakthrough.
