Trench Warfare Trench Warfare

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How was Trench Warfare Both Effective and Dangerous? Zaid Tabaza 8’5 Figure 1: Soldiers in Trenches Trench warfare is the form of war in which the fighting troops battle against each other from trenches. While being a technique that has been used since a long-time in history, the Trench Warfare technique came into the spotlight when it was employed in World War I (WWI), where the Western Side (which had the location of France, Belgium and Alsace) used it as a defense strategy. Trench warfare is a double-edged sword, with positives and negatives. In the course of the battles in WWI, trench warfare was exemplified through three lines of trenches. The line facing the enemy is regarded as the Primary Line, with a secondary line in-between,…show more content…
At the start, trenches were being built in straight lines, which evolved later into zigzag patterns, leveraging the sharp edges and corners to reduce the significant causalities that occurred when a sector of the trench was bombed. Firesteps were another improvement that enabled the soldiers to stand on them when firing, and take a step back for support and cover. “Trench…show more content…
These infantry weapons included the rifle, a gun that is used to fire from a level close to your shoulder, and the bayonet, which is a blade, which looks like a sword, and is used for hand-to-hand fighting. In addition, the infantry weapons used were also inclusive of the hand grenade, which is a small hand thrown bomb that is launched mechanically. This was all along with a trained group of soldiers, named the trench sweepers. “Travers, Tim” In 1904, the Germans used machine guns, which are automatic guns that fire bullets rapidly and don’t stop as long as the trigger is pressed. The British caught up with the Germans in using machine guns in the year of 1914. The infantry soldiers also used mortars, which are smoothbore guns used for firing shells, and artillery, which are large caliber guns. “Mc. Lean” Trench warfare was considered an effective warfare method, as the trenches were used a defense barrier for the soldiers to hide away from the enemies during a standoff. In addition, it allowed the soldiers to fire without exposing a significant portion of their body. It also allowed the soldiers to plan their actions more effectively and reach better conclusions. Finally, trenches were considered cheaper, as it costs less to dig up one trench, than to build a huge wall for shielding. “Trench
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