Question

Describe trench warfare and the new technology.

Answer 1

~The concept of trench warfare has nothing whatsoever to do with machine guns. The tactics and terminology were born of siege warfare in the 17th century. Saps (trenches and tunnels) were dug by sappers toward and around the defenses of a besieged target. The defenders generally had the weaponry and fortifications to withstand a direct attack. The trenches were a means by which the attacking force tried to thwart the defenses. As technology of firepower of the defending force outstrips mobility of the attacking force, new and improved ways to kill people are developed. Mankind pretty much outgrew trench warfare with the advent of planes and tanks after WWI. Now, we use missiles and smart weapons so we don't have to get our hands dirty.

With the advent of rifled muskets and rifled cannon, the idiocy of large armies facing off across vast expanses of open land became lunacy. Although the lesson wasn't learned at Fredericksburg or Gettysburg, common sense finally did prevail. The first extensive trench warfare occurred in the War Between the States in the Mid-Nineteenth century, particularly at Vicksburg and Petersburg.

WWI changed the scale and duration. Neither army had the strength of arms to move the other, and neither was going to withdraw. Consequently, each side dug in and tried to kill each other off from the relative safety of the muddy, rat and vermin infested, disease ridden network of holes in the ground they dug. The area between the opposing lines was called "no-man's land" and periodically some whiz kid with rank would decide that sitting around wasn't accomplishing anything so he'd order a suicidal charge over the walls and across the mined and barbed wired no man's land into the teeth of enemy artillery and machine gun and infantry fire. (Come to think of it, I guess the lessons of Fredericksburg and Gettysburg weren't learned after all).

Life in the trenches? Imagine living in a hole in the ground in all weather with no amenities. If you light a fire to try to cook or get warm, you give the artillery of the other side the chance to site in on you and blow you away (it took very little time for that to happen, thus only two people could light cigarettes off the same match: the superstition of "three on a match" was born in WWI trenches). If the walls caved in, you might be buried alive or exposed to enemy fire. If you had to relieve yourself, well, the ground was usually already mud anyway. Then, every once in a while, someone would decide to try to root you out and throw some poison gas your way. Those new-fangled flying things called airplanes weren't too much of a problem, but they could come strafing down a trench and take you out from above. During the rainy season, you never had dry clothes. That was especially a problem for your feet. All kinds of rot set in. During a mortar, artillery or gas attack, it might become necessary to duck down to the bottom of the trench. Since the trenches were often flooded, you might avoid getting hit by the incoming only to drown instead.

Trenches dug behind the front lines as fall-back defensive positions added a whole new element of fun. They were fortified with dog-outs and pillboxes and all kinds of neat stuff. Attacking them was a real joy.

When nobody was shooting at anybody, it was boring as hell. You just sat in your spot in the mud waiting and wishing that something would happen. When it did, you prayed for the next lull, only to repeat the process. Troops were rotated in and out of the hot zones fairly frequently, usually at night. After sleeping between sheets and having a few hot meals, it was back to the front.

Don't really know what kind of technology you are talking about. This is the best I can describe thrence warfare. Enjoy!