Topic > Trenches at War

The war has been going on for hundreds of years or so. Countries around the world fight what they believe is right. From our first battle, the Battle of Bull Run, to the current war with Afghanistan and Iraq. They start because of religion, politics, sex, business, etc. America, being the “great country,” as it is known, has faced many major and minor battles along the way. So did many other countries around the world. The most common wars were World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII). These wars have shown many improvements and how much we, the world, have evolved. From strategies to technological advancement, we have all come a long way when it comes to warfare. Many countries have many ideas about how to fight in wars or battles. One of these is trench warfare, a strategy used during World War I when both opposing sides build trenches that shelter each side during fighting. Since it has been used, trenches have become home to millions of soldiers and have helped soldiers become an essential part of being used as shelter and protection from the opposing side. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The American Civil War and World War I were those who successfully dug trenches to protect themselves from machine gun fire and artillery. The trenches helped the Germans when they were pushed back by the British and France. They dug into the ground to avoid being hit. The trenches had a huge impact not only for fighting, but they were also home to millions of soldiers, as I mentioned before. However, it wasn't always great when it came to adverse weather conditions like snow and freezing temperatures. Many good soldiers lost their lives due to horrible living conditions and disease. The disease was rampant all year round. The soldier's feet were severely degraded, and due to the persistent muddy and soggy conditions, in most cases the foot would have had to be amputated. This is called trench foot, common to almost all soldiers. Coming back to diseases, the trenches had no sanitation whatsoever, be it sanitation, food or even clean drinking water. Soldiers were also dying due to lack of food and water. Pests including rats, lice and frogs lived in the trenches. The rats in particular ate the soldiers' food and ate the feet of real soldiers while they slept. Another reason soldiers were sick or dead. Lice are another problem. Lice give what is known as trench fever, which is another disease besides trench foot. It gives victims a terrible feeling of itching, fever, headache, muscle, bone and joint pain. These were some of the reasons why living in these trenches was not great at all, however, looking back, it was a tactical point made by both sides that made an important move to win the war. Going back to the trenches and understanding how dangerous it could be to leave is because it would cost the soldiers their lives. Entering “no man's land” literally means risking your life to get out. For example, take the game Whack A Mole, when the animal's head comes out of the hole, you hit it, it's the same on the battlefield, if a soldier sticks his head out they will shoot him just like in the game. “Often those who went 'over the top' and into no man's land could not be brought back to safety if they were wounded” (McCrackin, 'Trench Warfare During the First World War'). This quote means that the.