Essay Sample on The Trenches of WWI and Their Brutalities

The early twentieth century brought about a technology boom: phones, electricity, radios, and so much more. However, the most influential inventions would not be used until World War I. Historians agree that World War I was a turning point in war history. Tanks, German U-boats, machine guns, and other advanced artillery were all utilized to each side’s advantage. These new weapons were more deadly than any previous weapons. As protection against these weapons, soldiers had no choice but to live in trenches. The Allied trenches tended to be dug hastily (U.S. War College). They were also known to be slippery with muddy slime and highly unsanitary. On the other hand, the German and Austrian-Hungarian trenches tended to be much neater (U.S. War College). The main difference between the two sides is that the Germans almost always dug their trenches on higher ground first, giving them the advantage of better soil and position (Kaur). They also had more time to dig their trenches. Their trenches often included electricity, telephone lines, bedrooms, restrooms, and other necessities (Kaur). The German and Austrian-Hungarian trenches were carefully engineered, and some were even lined with wood (Kaur). So, depending on whose side you were, you might end up in a nearly luxurious trench, or in a slimy, open air trench of the Allied forces. 

Life in the trenches could be brutal. The Allied  trenches were often muddy and disgusting as bodies lay to rot. Also, they did not have any other place to take care of personal needs or to throw away trash, such as cartridge boxes and tattered uniforms (Kaur). While the Allied trenches became trash dumps, the German and Austrian-Hungarian trenches were much more sanitary (Kaur). They lived like kings compared to the Allied forces. However, no matter whose side you were on, illness was feared by all, and it spread like wildfire (Dunleavy). Cholera and typhoid fever were both rampant among the forces (Dunleavy). The Spanish flu, malaria, trench foot, trench fever, and diseases spread by rats also raged through the ditches. Trench foot was a complication dreaded by the Allies and Central Powers alike (Dunleavy). Constant exposure to the elements was a major issue when the layers of dead skin would peel off of a soldier’s foot. Sometimes, a case of trench foot required amputation (Dunleavy). Another issue of trench life was “shell shock.” Living in the trenches for long periods of time with nearly constant assaults caused a mental illness called “shell shock,” now referred to as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD (Dunleavy). Another peril of the trenches was that the enemy often gassed the soldiers with mustard, phosgene, and chlorine gasses. The trapped soldiers often became ill due to the fumes, or they died when the gas entered their lungs (Dunleavy).  Fighting in the trenches was also difficult. After shooting, a soldier risked being shot by his opponent’s return fire in the head (Dunleavy). Despite the barbarous and uncomfortable living conditions of the trenches, they provided a sense of security for the soldiers.The ditches of Europe were there for a reason: to protect the soldiers. While the trenches were not entirely bomb-proof, they did provide some measure of protection.