Describe the nature of the trenches. Explain why it was an effective method of defence.

During the 50 years before the start of the war, most of the European countries had developed heavy industries. Factories produced iron, steel and chemicals, this provided advanced materials, for producing advanced weapons such as; rifles, machine guns, gas, hand grenades, tanks, submarines, airplanes (aircraft). Advanced weapons such as these, were the main reason why the war was fought from trenches.

The rifle was the standard weapon given to every soldier, shooting around 5-10 shots before reloading.

The Machine gun was one of the most effective weapons of defense, and was developed from the rifle, though it was much heavier, it was a lot more deadly, firing several hundred rounds a minute, killing thousands of men, the single biggest killing weapon.

Gas was a new weapon used in the war. First used by German troops, at the second battle of Ypres (1915). Gas could either be fired in cylinders depending on the wind, or fired in shells. Chlorine and phosgene were the most commonly used gases, used by both sides. Both chlorine and phosgene as worked by suffocating the lung of oxygen. Mustard gas was the worst, it effects; rot the body, blistered skin, the lining of the stomach stripped, though the effects would not be noticeable until after a few hours. Though, by 1917 gas masks were introduced so the use of gas was stopped.

Hand grenades were first used in 1915, as a preference or substitute of the bayonet, they were more efficient on attacks on trenches.

Tanks were a successful British invention. Tanks were invented mainly for the reason of machine guns, as soldiers needed protection against them. In 1914, sketches of armoured machines on caterpillar tracks were designed. Their purpose was to advance on their enemy by smashing any obstructions in their path, whilst protecting soldiers from enemy machine guns by their armour.

Submarines were a new weapon (1914),

Aircraft; airplanes were also a new weapon (1914). The main duty of the aircraft was reconnaissance (finding out where the enemy troops are). Airplanes also helped to give accurate aerial photographs of the enemies position.

The fast development of weapons affected the methods of attack and tactics of both sides. Cavalry and infantry were trained a specific way and were not ready or developed for new weapons. Their old methods of fighting lead thousands of men to their deaths, to

the newly developed machinery. Whole divisions of men were sent “over the top”, across “No Mans Land”, only to be shot by bullets from well protected defenders, all due to their lack of knowledge. Generals on both sides did not know how to break the deadlock. Modern transportation methods, such as trains, carried men to the battlefields. The generals’ tactics were of no use as they didn’t know what to do with the soldiers once they were there. Their only method of attack being, to use artillery against their enemies, then send their soldiers “over the top” of the trenches, towards the enemy lines. Their hopes were to break through with weight of numbers.

The trenches first came about by being built by the soldiers fighting in the war, as a defense method. The war was fought from trenches as it was an effective defence method from the new weapons introduced in the First World War. The weapons were; rifles, machine guns, gas, hand grenades, tanks, submarines, airplanes (aircraft), these weapons lead to the first trenches being made, making the trenches an effective method of defence. Tactics of the senior officers lead to many unnecessary deaths, though the trenches protected the men, lack of knowledge about the new weapons lead the senior officers to send their armies “over the top” of the trenches. In my opinion, I think the trenches were an effective method of defence because, due to the trenches system the war resulted in a stalemate, this gave time for the advance of weapons and development of which I think finally won the war.