what led to the construction and use of trenches in combat

Historical Background

Trenches have a long history in warfare, beginning in the ancient globe. Roman legions surrounded their camps with trenches for protection. Modern trench warfare began in the 17th century with a system of consecutive trench lines dug to protect soldiers while they advanced toward a fortress during a siege. In the early 18th century, long lines of defensive trenches were constructed to block enemy lines of accelerate.

In the American Civil War (1861–65), the increased firepower of small arms and artillery forced both sides to dig trenches. The use of trenches, although sometimes only rudimentary and shallow ditches, connected during the Boer War (1899–1902) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05).

First Earth State of war

Shortly afterwards the First World War began in August 1914, trenches were needed due to the widespread use of car guns and the increased lethality of arms. Artillery was the real killer, bookkeeping for threescore percent of all deaths and injuries during the showtime three years of the state of war. This was due to larger-calibre armament, increased range and accuracy, timed fuses and improvements in high explosive and shrapnel rounds. As the Franco-British armies on 1 side and the German army on the other repeatedly tried to become around each other'due south northern flank, the famous "Race to the Bounding main" occurred. It only ended when the North Body of water was reached. By the cease of November, a 700 km trench system snaked across the Western Front, from the Swiss border to Belgium's North Body of water coast.

For most of the next 4 years, a stalemate existed along the entire Western Front. Both sides settled down to an extended menses of relatively static warfare, characterized past an extensive organization of trenches. This stalemate was only cleaved in the closing months of the war through a combination of new infantry tactics, creeping artillery barrages, tanks, air support and other innovations.

Trench Structure and Design

Eventually, trenches consisted of three parallel lines at to the lowest degree 1.5 km in depth: burn/forrard, support/secondary and reserve. Trenches were not dug in a straight line, but rather in a zigzag or stepped pattern of alternate burn down bays and traverses. This was to forestall the blast and shrapnel effects of artillery burn down travelling forth a straight path. It also stopped any enemy that got into a trench line from firing straight along information technology. Trenches were congenital as narrow as possible to limit the blast radius of artillery air bursts.

Trenches were normally dug to a depth of well-nigh two metres but were shallower in wet basis. Wood and corrugated can were used to help forestall trench walls from collapsing. Duckboards, consisting of several wooden slats joined together, were placed along the muddy bottom of trenches to course a path. Sandbags were piled in front of the trench, known every bit the parapet, to almost a metre high for extra protection. A like wall of sandbags was built forth the back of the trench, called the parados, to protect confronting friendly fire from soldiers in the rear, also as to foreclose parts of a soldier's torso being silhouetted against the skyline.

Burlap or jute sandbags were half a metre long and pulled close with cords when filled with earth. They were then stacked in layered rows on top of each other. Loopholes were built into the sandbag walls for observation and snipers. Atmospheric condition and enemy fire took a continual toll on the walls, and they frequently had to exist replaced or rebuilt.

The area in forepart of the forwards trenches was known as no human'south land and was ordinarily 300 to 400 yard wide. It contained long strands of thick barbed wire placed in depth. Gaps were left in places to allow patrols or raids to cross no man'due south land at night. Such gaps were always covered past machine-gun fire in case of an enemy attack.

Shallow advice trenches zigzagged at right angles from the front-line trenches to the rear and were used to motility soldiers and supplies. Deep, protected dugouts were in the front and support lines and too branched off from communications trenches. Initially express to officers and medical staff, soldiers were later immune to sleep in them.

Life in the Trenches

A twenty-four hours in the trenches began a half hour before dawn during stand-to, when soldiers manned the trenches in instance the enemy attacked in the one-half light. Once stand-down was called an hour after, the 24-hour interval's tasks began: cleaning and inspection of rifles and trenches, washing and then breakfast, ordinarily bully beef and hardtack. Sick parade followed, when soldiers who felt too ill to work were checked by unit medical staff. Human foot inspections by medical and unit officers preceded the daily rum ration. The two ounces of over-proof liquor were a morale booster, eagerly predictable and appreciated by all.

Did You Know?
As one soldier noted near slap-up beefiness and hardtack, "The offset is corned beefiness and the 2nd is a kind of canis familiaris biscuit." He thought the main ingredient in hardtack was cement, while another soldier compared eating it to "gnawing a very sometime bone." Company cooks augmented this monotonous diet whenever they could and tried to ensure front-line troops had bacon and bread at breakfast.

Rum came in gallon jugs and was doled out by sergeants on the direction of officers. It had to be downed in the presence of an officeholder or NCO to foreclose it from being hoarded. Rum compensated in some way for the misery of life in the trenches. If it were withheld, morale could plummet.

One time these preliminaries were completed, NCOs assigned men to watch duty (one in 12) or work parties. Trenches and sandbags were in constant need of repair, and latrines had to be dug. Soldiers also had free time to clean kit, read, write messages, smoke, play cards, talk or sleep. Lunch and dinner were ordinarily the same monotonous nutrient as breakfast.

Another hr's stand up-to happened at dusk, and more tasks followed during darkness. One in 4 men acted as sentries, while patrols, wiring parties and two-man listening posts ventured into no human'south land. Ration parties moved back to the reserve lines to pick up mail and the adjacent mean solar day's nutrient and h2o. Soldiers rotated through the iii main trench lines, spending four to six days in each.

Trench Raids

Night trench raids were a way for frontline soldiers to strike back at the enemy. Raids had many purposes: to gain gainsay feel, get together intelligence, capture prisoners, destroy fortifications or simply inflict casualties. While Canadians did non invent trench raids, they certainly adult them to a high state and became the acknowledged masters of raiding.

Trench Illnesses

The unsanitary weather condition in front end-line trenches meant disease was widespread. Sickness in the trenches gave its name to three specific conditions. Trench foot was caused past standing in h2o for as well long, which resulted in a loss of circulation. If not treated in time, gangrene ready in and amputation of toes or even feet followed.

Trench mouth was caused by poor oral hygiene, lack of fresh fruit, heavy smoking and continual stress. It caused bleeding and very bad breath and, if left untreated, required all teeth to be pulled from rotting, discoloured gums.

Trench fever was a mutual flu-like illness, marked by fever, chills, fatigue and shin pains. Serious cases could sideline soldiers for a week to 3 months. Officially termed "pyrexia of unknown origin," its source was only determined in 1918 when lice were revealed every bit its transmitter.

Trench Art

During their time at the front, but especially behind the lines, many soldiers occupied their leisure hours with the creation of trench fine art. Ashtrays, mugs, vases, matchbox covers, rings and many other items — both functional and decorative — were made from discarded vanquish casings, spent bullets and other bits of metal. Soldiers considered trench art as mementoes of their service and brought many examples back to Canada after the state of war.

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Source: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/trench-warfare