- "Trench warfare is the type of land warfare using occupied lines largely comprising military trenches, in which combatants are well-protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery."
Trench warfare was a major element of World War I, in which soldiers on both sides dug elaborate networks of trenches to protect themselves from enemy fire.
Trench structure: The design and layout of trenches, including fire bays, traverse, communication trenches, and dugouts.
Communication: Methods used to maintain communication between soldiers, including the use of codes, runners, flares, telephones, and field telegraphs.
Defensive tactics: Strategies used to defend trench lines, such as barbed wire, sandbags, machine guns, and rifles.
Offensive tactics: Strategies used to advance across no-man's land, including gas attacks, artillery bombardment, and surprise attacks.
Life in the trenches: Daily life for soldiers, including rations, hygiene, disease, and trench foot.
Medical care: Trench warfare led to new challenges for medical personnel, including the treatment of wounds and diseases, and preventing outbreaks among troops.
Decorations and medals: Recognition for bravery and service, including the Victoria Cross, Distinguished Conduct Medal, and Military Medal.
Weapons and technology: A discussion of the weapons, vehicles, and technology used in the war, including tanks, airplanes, and poison gas.
The role of animals: A discussion of the role animals played in trench warfare, including horses, dogs, and carrier pigeons.
Psychological effects: The psychological toll of trench warfare, including shell shock, PTSD, and the impact on soldiers' mental health.
Front Line Trenches: This was the primary type of trench warfare that was used. They were often just a few meters away from enemy front line trenches, and were the most dangerous as they were most likely to receive enemy fire.
Support Trenches: These were positioned behind the front line trenches and were used to support the front line trenches. They were used to store ammunition and supplies, and provide reinforcements if needed.
Reserve Trenches: These trenches were located behind the support trenches, and were used to provide further reinforcements if needed. They were also used to house units that were not involved in fighting.
Communication Trenches: These trenches were used to connect different trenches together, and were usually elevated to prevent water from getting in.
Saps and Listening Posts: Saps were tunnels dug underground to lead directly to the enemy lines, while Listening Posts were small holes created in the ground that allowed soldiers to keep an ear out for enemy movements.
Battle Trenches: These were trenches specifically designed for combat, including machine gun posts and sniper positions.
Pigeon Trenches: Pigeon handlers used these trenches to house their birds, which were often used to send messages to commanding officers.
Dugouts: Dugouts were small underground shelters dug into the side of the trenches. They were often used as sleeping quarters and provided some shelter from the elements and from enemy fire.
Gas Trenches: These were trenches designed to protect soldiers from gas attacks. They often contained special ventilation systems designed to filter out poisonous gases.
Tunnels: Tunnels were dug underground to sneak under enemy lines and attack from behind. These were often used by specialized units called tunneling companies.
- "It became archetypically associated with World War I (1914–1918)...starting in September 1914."
- "Trench warfare proliferated when a revolution in firepower was not matched by similar advances in mobility..."
- "In which the defender held the advantage."
- "Both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire."
- "The area between opposing trench lines (known as 'no man's land')."
- "Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties."
- "The development of armored warfare and combined arms tactics permitted static lines to be bypassed and defeated, leading to the decline of trench warfare after the war."
- "Following World War I, 'trench warfare' became a byword for stalemate, attrition, sieges, and futility in conflict."