Trench Warfare Flashcards
By the end of 1914 where did the trenches stretch from
The trenches stretched from the channel coast to Switzerland - over 370 miles of them. In the next 4 years they rarely moved more that 10 miles either west or east
This line of trenches was what
The western front
What happened in time to the trenches at the western front
More lines of trenches were dug behind them, they were linked up by communication trenches.
For every 1 and a half kilometres of front there was eventually how many miles of trenches
30
What happened on the eastern front
Germans and Russians also dug trenches facing each other.
What was in front of the trenches
In front of the trenches was a stretched barrier of barbed wire up to 15 metres thick
What was in between enemy trenches
No mans land
What was no mans land
The area which was being fought over. The 2 trench lines could be as much as 800m apart; in a few places the enemy was just 20m away.
Every night what was sent out to no mans
Patrols were sent out into the area to find out what the enemy was doing
What did the two sides aim to do to the enemy trenches
The aim was to capture the enemy’s trenches but his was difficult because they were so well defended.
What did the ordinary soldier carry
A bayonet and a rifle which fired up to 25 shots per minutes
How many rounds did machine guns fire per minute
600 rounds a minute
How did the generals believe they could win and what happened days before hand
They believed they could win by sending huge numbers of men across no mans land to capture enemy trenches
Days beforehand, artillery would bombard the enemy day and night.
What was the idea when the artillery bombarded the enemy trenches
The idea was that shells would destroy enemy wire and trenches, making attack easier. But, in wet weather, they turned no mans land into a sea of mud, making it harder to get across
Even a dry weather attack on the trenches would cause what
Huge casualties
