On the Western Front, the war was fought by soldiers in trenches . Trenches were long, narrow ditches dug into the ground where soldiers lived. They were very muddy, uncomfortable and the toilets overflowed. These conditions caused some soldiers to develop medical problems such as trench foot.
What was the Western Front during ww1?
The Western Front, a 400-plus mile stretch of land weaving through France and Belgium from the Swiss border to the North Sea , was the decisive front during the First World War. Whichever side won there – either the Central Powers or the Entente – would be able to claim victory for their respective alliance.
How is the Western Front in WWI characterized?
The Western front was best characterized by trench warfare . The armies dug into the ground, both sides constructing elaborate trench networks. This caused them to reach a stalemate for most of the duration of the war. The Western front was later reinforced by the arrival of the Americans.
Why was the Western Front so important in ww1?
The Western Front began to take shape in the autumn of 1914 after the German advance into northern France was halted at the Battle of the Marne. ... Their objective was to prevent an enemy advance, secure supply lines and seize control of key ports and French industrial areas .
What were the characteristics of the Western Front?
Around Ypres (pronounced ‘Wipers’ by British soldiers) the water table was too high to dig trenches. Instead, defences were constructed using sandbags and wood (called ‘breastworks’) and were heavily protected by barbed wire , the defining feature of the Western Front.
How long was the Western Front in ww1?
Stretching 440 miles from the Swiss border to the North Sea, the line of trenches, dug-outs and barbed-wire fences moved very little between 1914-1918, despite attempts on both sides to break through.
Why did they build trenches in ww1?
World War I was a war of trenches. After the early war of movement in the late summer of 1914, artillery and machine guns forced the armies on the Western Front to dig trenches to protect themselves . Fighting ground to a stalemate. ... British soldiers standing in water in a trench.
What happened at the western front?
On the Western Front, in an attempt to drive the German Army from the occupied territories, the Allies succeeded in mobilizing a coalition force comprising more than twenty nations with the French and British Armies providing by far the most soldiers and equipment ; however the United States, which entered the war in ...
Why did Germany have a geographic disadvantage?
Why did Germany have a geographic disadvantage at the start of World War I? It was bordered by enemies on two fronts . Attack France in the West before Russia in the East had a chance to mobilize. Heavy casualties and little territorial gain.
How many soldiers died on the Western Front in ww1?
| Western Front | Strength | show 15,900,000 13,250,000 | Casualties and losses | Military casualties: show 7,500,000 Civilian dead: 534,500 Military casualties: show 5,500,000 Civilian dead: 424,000 |
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How many died in the trenches ww1?
The total number of deaths included 9.7 million military personnel and about 10 million civilians . Of these deaths, an estimated 5.7m were soldiers fighting for the Allies.
Who won World War 1?
The Allies won World War I after four years of combat and the deaths of some 8.5 million soldiers as a result of battle wounds or disease. Read more about the Treaty of Versailles.
What did the Western Front look like?
On the Western Front, the war was fought by soldiers in trenches. 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.
What was the war like on the Western Front quizlet?
What was war like on the Western Front? Bloody and brutal. Trench warfare began outside the trenches, soldiers faced powerful weapons like machine guns, poison gas and tanks.
How did women’s lives change during WWI?
Employment. According to Lesley Hall, an historian and research fellow at the Wellcome Library, “the biggest changes brought by the war were women moving into work , taking up jobs that men had left because they had been called up.” Between 1914 and 1918, an estimated two million women replaced men in employment.
