What was life like in the trenches World War 1?

Trench life involved long periods of boredom mixed with brief periods of terror. The threat of death kept soldiers constantly on edge, while poor living conditions and a lack of sleep wore away at their health and stamina.

What was one of the main problems with using trench warfare?

Disease and ‘shell shock’ were rampant in the trenches. With soldiers fighting in close proximity in the trenches, usually in unsanitary conditions, infectious diseases such as dysentery, cholera and typhoid fever were common and spread rapidly.

What caused the most loss of life in World War 1?

The casualties suffered by the participants in World War I dwarfed those of previous wars: some 8,500,000 soldiers died as a result of wounds and/or disease. The greatest number of casualties and wounds were inflicted by artillery, followed by small arms, and then by poison gas.

Why is trench warfare no longer as prevalent as it was in World war 1?

Trench warfare was not an innovation of World War I, but it was never so prevalent in any other war before or since. One reason that World War I became a massive trench war on the Western Front was that western Europe was densely populated.

How was trench foot prevented in WW1?

It was also discovered in World War I that a key preventive measure was regular foot inspections; soldiers would be paired and each partner made responsible for the feet of the other, and they would generally apply whale oil to prevent trench foot.

How did trench warfare prolong WW1?

During World War I, trench warfare was a defensive military tactic used extensively by both sides, allowing soldiers some protection from enemy fire but also hindering troops from readily advancing and thus prolonging the war. For stability, some trenches included wooden beams and/or sandbags.

How did WW1 end ks2?

The government asked the US for an armistice – an agreement to stop the fighting – and Germany’s leader, Kaiser Wilhelm, left his job on 9 November 1918. Two days later, Germany signed the Armistice and the guns fell silent. The fighting stopped at 11am on the eleventh day of the eleventh month.