Why was artillery bombardment a problem in the trenches?

A bombardment that was aimed well could destroy enemy trenches, and knock out artillery batteries (groups of guns) and communication lines. New tactics were needed to break down enemy lines.

What is preparatory artillery bombardment?

Before an infantry advance during the First World War, it was a common strategy to bombard enemy defences with all available heavy artillery. The idea was that this preliminary bombardment would either kill the defending soldiers or would at least force them to retreat.

What was the longest artillery barrage in ww1?

Battle of the Somme
The German artillery assault on Verdun in February 1916 was the longest and heaviest bombardment of the war to that point and, therefore, one of the largest of all time. Whilst the infantry portion of the Battle of the Somme began on 1 July 1916, it was preceded by a week-long artillery bombardment.

What does bombardment mean in history?

A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire or by dropping bombs from aircraft on fortifications, combatants, or towns and buildings. Prior to World War I, the term was only applied to the bombardment of defenseless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, etc.

What do the word barrage mean?

1 : a heavy and continuous firing of weapons during a battle. 2 : a great amount of something that comes quickly and continuously a barrage of commercials.

Why did the bombardment fail?

Even during the shelling, a nagging doubt began to become apparent: many of the rounds fired were “duds” (failed to explode). In addition, much of the bombardment had been of shrapnel, not high explosive, and it failed to make sufficient impact on blowing away the wire or damaging the deep enemy dugouts.

What was the purpose of a bombardment?

A bombardment that was aimed well could destroy enemy trenches, and knock out artillery batteries (groups of guns) and communication lines. It could also help break up an attack by infantry (soldiers on foot).

What is the definition of the word bombardment?

bombard \bahm-BARD\ verb. 1 : to attack especially with artillery or bombers. 2 : to assail vigorously or persistently (as with questions) 3 : to subject to the impact of rapidly moving particles (as electrons)

What is the largest artillery bombardment in history?

Bundesarchiv In what is sometimes described as the largest artillery bombardment in history, the Soviets opened the road to Berlin in 1945 at the Battle of Seelow Heights with a massive barrage that saw over 9,000 Soviet guns and rockets firing along a front approximately 18.5 miles long.

What do you think bombardment means?

noun. a continuous or sustained attack, as with bombs or artillery fire:The rebel attacks were followed by government counterattacks that included airstrikes and artillery bombardment.