What were the dangers of trench warfare?

What were the dangers of trench warfare?

Trenches provided protection from bullets and shells, but they did carry their own risks. Trench foot, trench fever, dysentery, and cholera could inflict casualties as readily as any enemy. Rats, flies, and lice were also commonplace.

Why was trench warfare so dangerous?

Rain caused the trenches to flood and get muddy. Mud could clog up weapons and make it hard to move in battle. Also, the constant moisture could cause an infection called Trench Foot that, if untreated, could become so bad that a soldier’s feet would have to be amputated. Cold weather was dangerous, too.

What else made conditions in the trenches horrific?

But the majority of loss of life can be attributed to famine and disease – horrific conditions meant fevers, parasites and infections were rife on the frontline and ripped through the troops in the trenches. Among the diseases and viruses that were most prevalent were influenza, typhoid, trench foot and trench fever.

What caused trench warfare in ww1?

Life in the Trenches, 1914-1919. World War I was a war of trenches. After the early war of movement in the late summer of 1914, artillery and machine guns forced the armies on the Western Front to dig trenches to protect themselves. Fighting ground to a stalemate.

What effect do you think that trench warfare had on soldiers morale?

Soldiers in the trenches grew more and more rebellious revolting and joining mutinies against the pointless and stupid meat-grinder/cannon fodder mentality of the generals using the trenches as their private playground to try pointless old style frontal attacks.

How did trench warfare affect the progress of the war quizlet?

Soldiers that were involved in the trench warfare lost their lives due to machine guns, grenades, and gas. This resulted in a stalemate where neither side can win. It brought in more soldiers, more supplies, and more people to join the war, provided a push to defeat the central powers.

Why did trench warfare lead to a drawn out war with high casualties?

Frontal assaults and their associated casualties became inevitable because the continuous trench lines had no open flanks. Casualties of the defenders matched those of the attackers, as vast reserves were expended in costly counter-attacks or exposed to the attacker’s massed artillery.