Essay On Trench Warfare

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In September of 1914, the British and French troops met the German troops at the Marne River. The German troops had been advancing toward Paris. The British and French troops were victorious in this battle and they crushed the hopes of Germany who wanted a quick takeover of the Western Front. After this battle, both sides dug trenches to maintain their positions. Both sides entered into a stalemate over the next four years. Each side battled from trenches making very little progress in their efforts to defeat each other. The trench warfare that took place over a few hundred yards of territory and cost both sides enormous casualties. Trench warfare proved to be a failure for both sides. The trenches built by both sides started as simple ditches. These foxholes were meant to provide protection for the troops during short battles. But as the fighting continued, more elaborate trenches were dug. As trenches evolved, they were built in a zig-zag pattern so that if an enemy got into the trench, he would not be able to shoot down the length of the trench. The front wall of the trench was ...

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