Trench warfare and what it was like
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The trenches in World War 1 were deep ditches that ran along 475 miles in an S Shape from the Northern Sea all the way to Switzerland, they were dug out 2 meters by 2 meters and were occupied by soldiers who lived in the trenches. The Trenches had a parapet which was a sheltering wall along the top facing toward the enemy front line which was located 1km away, the Trenches were often very cold and had a wall of barbed wire which ran in front of the trench as a defence mechanism. The Trenches became very complicated and confusing the further that the war progressed, The front line was positioned at the front and it was the closest trench to the enemy nearby there were reserve and supply trenches which held supplies and more men. All the Trenches were connected through communication trenches which were conjoining or connecting trenches where soldiers could move or reposition. Both front line trenches were positioned a kilometer away from one another and the area between was known as the No-Man’s land and was often seen as the biggest battlefield.
How did these experience impact on the soldier's lives?
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Trench warfare impacted majorly on the soldiers’ lives, as they were faced with many confronting experiences and terrifying circumstances. Around 188,000 British soldiers were killed by poisonous gases in the World War I and many were faced with deadly diseases such as trench foot and shellshock. Trench foot was a common disease during this time that created swollen limbs, damaged sensory nerves and inflammation. This often led to major amputations or even death. Shellshock was a serious condition caused by the bombardment of shells and often affected the men to have mental breakdowns, which meant they could no longer continue on in the war. The horrendous, unsanitary conditions of the trenches increased the spreading of disease and lice. Several of the men had head and body lice, which made it awfully uncomfortable for the men. Terrified and physically drained, few men could remain calm under these horrific living conditions.
Trench Warfare impact on the soldier's families
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Families often struggled when their fathers, husbands and brothers left for war. Several women became widowed and were left with full responsibility to look and care for the house and children. This was very difficult for women to financially support their families. If the men ever came back from war they were usually severely injured or were suffering from various diseases. It took a long time to recover from the horrors of war, which often scared the men’s children and left them confused why their once loving and caring father was so physically and emotional wrecked.