Trench warfare
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Trench Warfare
Transcript of Trench warfare
Trench Warfare
Offence to Defence
• Trench warfare occurred because the German offensive plan, known as the “Schlieffen Plan” did not work as planned
• The Germans shifted to the defence and established trenches in anticipation of an allied counter attack
The Ultimate Defence
• Trenches were only a small part of a defensive system that made the taking of any amount of land very costly in lives
• Barbed wire, mines, defensive artillery faced advancing troops besides rifle and machinegun fire from the enemy
Parts of a Trench
• Fire step – where soldiers would stand to fire at an advancing enemy
• Duck board – Floor boards for the trench
• Dugout – Small caves where soldiers would sleep
Life in the Trenches
• Lice– Lice were everywhere and spread quickly because of the close quarters in the trenches
• Trench Foot – Trench Foot would happen because soldiers spent their days in knee deep water, this meant their tissue would die and begin to rot, requiring amputation
• Rats – rats were everywhere eating leftover food and even dead bodies
Daily Routine
• Everyday at dawn soldiers were ordered to “stand to” on the firing step in anticipation of an enemy attack
• Daily routine involved repairing the sandbags and duckboard in the trenches
• On a regular basis the enemy would unleash gas attacks, artillery barrages and sniper fire
Enemy Aliens
• Nationals of Germany or Austria-Hungary were detained
• There needed to be “reasonable grounds” to believe they were acting illegally
• There were 8579 men in 24 camps across Canada, along with81 women and 156 children
