Why were there blocks in trenches?

Why are blocks placed in trenches? To stop enemy from getting in and destroying base and men.

Why were sandbags used in trenches?

Sandbags were invariably used to provide troops with protection at both the front and rear of trenches (the parapet and parados) and were generally stacked some two or three feet deep.

Why are the trenches so disgusting?

They were actually quite disgusting. There were all sorts of pests living in the trenches including rats, lice, and frogs. … Rain caused the trenches to flood and get muddy. Mud could clog up weapons and make it hard to move in battle.

What was the purpose of building trenches?

Trenches provided protection from bullets and shells, but they did carry their own risks. Trench foot, trench fever, dysentery, and cholera could inflict casualties as readily as any enemy.

Why was barbed wire used in trenches?

During World War I, barbed wire was used for both defensive purposes and as a trapping mechanism. Soldiers would defend their trenches with barbed wire by installing the barbed wire a distance away on the ground from the tops of their trenches.

What is the purpose of sandbags in a flood?

The use of sandbags is a simple, but effective way to prevent or reduce flood water damage. Properly filled and placed sandbags can act as a barrier to divert moving water around, instead of through, buildings.

Are there any WWI trenches left?

A few of these places are private or public sites with original or reconstructed trenches preserved as a museum or memorial. Nevertheless, there are still remains of trenches to be found in remote parts of the battlefields such as the woods of the Argonne, Verdun and the mountains of the Vosges.

Why was ww2 not fought in trenches?

The reason it was no longer viable was primarily due to the advances in air power. In WWI aircraft were in their infancy by WWII the had advanced to the point where they could plaster any trench fortification as well as deliver an airborne force does the 82nd Airborne or the 101st airborne ring any bells?

Why were trenches so important in ww1?

During World War I, trench warfare was a defensive military tactic used extensively by both sides, allowing soldiers some protection from enemy fire but also hindering troops from readily advancing and thus prolonging the war. … Trenches were often dug up to 12 feet deep and stretched for miles.

Who cleaned up WW1 battlefields?

It was done by the soldiers themselves (engineers helped by the randoms ones – Battlefields Clearance & Salvage platoons). Due to lack of available men, the French and English employed Chinese people to help them. French gave them a 5 years contract, English a 3 years one and a better pay.

Where is No Man’s Land?

No-man’s-land might be defined as the disputed space between Allied and German trenches–from the coast at one end to Switzerland 470 miles away at the other–which became the principal killing field of a notoriously cruel and inhuman war.

Why did US enter WW1?

On April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson went before a joint session of Congress to request a declaration of war against Germany. … Germany’s resumption of submarine attacks on passenger and merchant ships in 1917 became the primary motivation behind Wilson’s decision to lead the United States into World War I.

Where did they go to the bathroom in the trenches?

They also had dug outs, for rest, and latrines. These latrines were trench toilets. They were usually pits dug into the ground between 1.2 metres and 1.5 metres deep. Two people who were called sanitary personnel had the job of keeping the latrines in good condition for each company.

Are there still WW1 veterans alive?

The First World War

As of 2011 there are no surviving veterans of The Great War. … While the last US veterans died in 2011, the last surviving veteran of any country was Florence Green, a British woman who served in the Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF). She died on 4 February 2012.

What did WW1 look like?

Trenches were long, narrow ditches dug into the ground where soldiers lived. They were very muddy, uncomfortable and the toilets overflowed. … There were many lines of German trenches on one side and many lines of Allied trenches on the other.

Did WW1 soldiers shower?

There were also communal baths to clean themselves of the odor they developed while in the trenches. This helped boost morale and keep many soldiers healthy, but soldiers often had to stay in the trenches for a number of days without bathing or changing their clothes before they were allowed this rest.

How did soldiers poop in trenches?

In WW1 the troops in the trenches had chemical latrines dug into the defences. They were emptied on a daily basis by Sanitary Brigades.

What did the trenches smell like?

The trenches were dirty. Some men disappeared into the mud because it was so thick. The cold, wet and unsanitary conditions made many soldiers sick. … There was also the lingering odour of poison gas, and the smells of cordite, rotting sandbags, stagnant mud, cigarette smoke, and cooking food.

Why did soldiers urinate in socks?

Our soldiers had to pee on rags, socks, or whatever piece of cloth they could find and use them to cover their faces to protect their lungs from the gas. The rationale behind this was that the ammonia from urine would somehow neutralize the chlorine gas and prevent it from killing them.

How do soldiers pee in battle?

In the middle of combat you just piss yourself, otherwise find a place in cover and go for it. On a base: They use the designated latrine. On patrol: Pretty much anywhere. It may be the side of a road or if in a vehicle convoy they may use an empty gatorade bottle.