Trenches & WWI Technology Flashcards
Analyze this poem: /4
“To love amongst men who would Give their last fag, their last bite, Even their last breath if need be for a Pal — That is the comradeship of the Trenches. The only clean thing to Come out of this life of cruelty and Filth” 1915
Fat = cigarette drag (way past time)
The countries lose a generation of men
Strong bonds are made
Most of the time in the trenches is spent waiting around/ being bored
What does the following phrase mean: /5
“This isn’t war”
WWI was a petty competition of who has better defence
|-> “the shovel is more important than the gun”
WWI was just a mass amount of military
Even at rest, soldiers had duties that put them in the line of fire (danger)
WWI was a waiting game where soldiers only fought few times a year
What was a common disease in the trenches?
Grangrane a.k.a trench foot
What is grangane? /4
Blister with black veins
Led to amputation of foot or leg
Sign that the foot is rotting
Blood poisoning
What new type of warfare emerges?
Trench warfare
Many trenches are constantly shelled
What is trench warfare? /8
Description
Around 3 meters deep
Dug by soldiers during the night
Used as defence against shells
Zig-zag formation
Protect soldiers from debris
Fire step: where soldiers stand tosse over the trenches and shoot through sandbags
Barbed wire: prevent soldiers from rushing into the trenches
Provided less damage to defence and soldiers
What was ironic about Germany’s trenches compared to the allies?
Trenches were bigger and strategized
HOWEVER….
Germany still lost the war
What is friendly fire?
Soldier killed by their own defence
What is a major assault/ attacks in the trenches usually like in WWI? /5
Artillery barrage
Troops go “Over the Top” and rush into No Man’s Land
Defending troops rush out of their trenches to set up machine guns
Usually defenders have the advantage by attacking troops with machine gun fire
Trench is captured (rare)
What happens if attackers did capture an enemy trench? /2
Attackers must hold it- have it under their control
Often proved impossible since it lead to close range combat
What re the conditions in the trenches?
Horrific
Constant life/rats/smell
Most activity carried out at night = little sleep
|
|->Soldiers at the front lines slept when they could in dugouts/trenches
Soldiers woken before dawn incase of attack
What is “Over the Top” mean?
Soldiers going over the trenches and into No Man’s Land
What a an artillery barrage?
A heavy wave of canons firing shells at once
What is shrapnel?
Flying pieces of metal from exploding shells or bullets
What is reconnaissance?
Gathering information
When was gas first used in WWI?
First used by the Germans at the 2nd Battle of Ypres 1915
What elements were used to make the gas used in WWI? /3
Chlorine gas
Mustard gas
Phosgene gas
Used by both Central and Allies
Why was gas a psychological weapon in WWI? /4
Reduces a soldiers fighting ability (throws them off)
Made soldiers less aggressive
Soldiers were scared that if their gas mask were to fall off they would die
Made soldiers believe they must always keep their gas mask on
How were the first gas masks made?
Pieces of urinated fabric held up to soldiers’ faces
Why was Mustard gas the most effective in WWI? /2
Attacks your lungs and body with blisters if exposed
Can possible go through cloth
How come Phosgene gas was the most deadly in WWI?
Since it can not be seen or smelt
Why was the first attempt in using gas as a weapon a failure in WWI? /2
Germans missed their chance to do a surprise attack
Allies saw it coming and ran away (not affected)
Bonus questions: Which famous individual was affected by Mustard Gas in WWI?
Adolf Hitler (German soldier)
Was hospitalized due to severe exposure
How were tanks in WWI? /8
First introduced in 1916
Large and lumbering
Only moved at about 6km/h = as fast as a zamboni
Crush through barbed wire
Transport troops and supplies
Useful when conditions are muddy
Easy targets
Unreliable, break down
How were submarines in WWI? /5
Used especially by the Germans = U-Boat or Unterseeboot
Launched torpedos (underwater missile)
Moved undetected (sonar limited)
Depth charges and sea mines used against them
Used by both Central and Allies
What are depth charges? /2
Bombs charged/set to explode at a certain depth
Hopefully to where submarines were
What is a sea mine? /3
Bomb placed in the water
Placed outside ports to destroy enemy ships
Held down by an anchor
How were planes in WWI? /3
Used to gather information = reconnaissance
Used to drop bombs over battle ships (boat)
Equipped with machine guns that were used in air combat (dog-fights)
What was the first plane model used by the Allies in WWI?
Sopwith Camel
What were the symbols used on planes to identify them as allies or German? /2
Allies (British): Target (Outer red, middle white, inner blue)
German: iron cross
