Life+in+the+Trenches

What were the features of trench warfare? What was life in the trenches like? Where the experiences of Allied and German soldiers the same? []

Trench warfare created a living environment for the men which was harsh, stagnant and extremely dangerous. Not only were trenches constantly under threat of attack from shells or other weapons, but there were also many health risks that developed into large-scale problems for medical personnel. Apart from the inescapable cold during the winters in France, trenches were often completely waterlogged and muddy, and crawling with lice and rats. Diseases such as trench fever, trench nephritis, and trench foot (which often led to amputation) became common medical problems, and caused significant losses of manpower.