17 Facts About Trench warfare

Trench warfare is a type of land warfare using occupied lines largely comprising military trenches, in which troops are well-protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery.

Trench warfare became archetypically associated with World War I, when the Race to the Sea rapidly expanded trench use on the Western Front starting in September 1914.

Trench warfare proliferated when a revolution in firepower was not matched by similar advances in mobility, resulting in a gruelling form of warfare in which the defender held the advantage.

Development of armoured warfare and combined arms tactics permitted static lines to be bypassed and defeated, leading to the decline of trench warfare after the war.

Trench warfare was documented during the defense of Medina in a siege known as the Battle of the Trench.

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In early modern Trench warfare troops used field works to block possible lines of advance.

Trench warfare prevailed on the Western Front until the Germans launched their Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918.

Trench warfare took place on other fronts, including in Italy and at Gallipoli.

Confined, static, and subterranean nature of trench warfare resulted in it developing its own peculiar form of geography.

Trench warfare fever was a common disease spread through the faeces of body lice, which were rampant in trenches.

Trench warfare fever caused headaches, shin pain, splenomegaly, rashes and relapsing fevers – resulting in lethargy for months.

Trench warfare foot was a common environmental ailment affecting many soldiers, especially during the winter.

Trench warfare foot was a large problem for the Allied forces, resulting in 2000 American and 75, 000 British casualties.

However, trench warfare re-emerged in the latter stages of the Chinese Civil War and the Korean War (from July 1951 to its end).

Trench warfare has become a powerful symbol of the futility of war.

Trench warfare is associated with mass slaughter in appalling conditions.

Problems of trench warfare were recognised, and attempts were made to address them.