Are trenches still used in modern warfare?

In fact, trench warfare remains arguably the most effective strategy for infantry where, for whatever reason, armor and air support are lacking. Drones may have replaced carrier pigeons in the skies above the battlefield, but the use of trenches has changed little since Verdun and the Somme.

When did trench warfare stop?

1918
The trench system on the Western Front in World War I—fixed from the winter of 1914 to the spring of 1918—eventually stretched from the North Sea coast of Belgium southward through France, with a bulge outwards to contain the much-contested Ypres salient.

Is trench warfare effective in the Iraq War?

In fact, trench warfare remains arguably the most effective strategy for infantry where, for whatever reason, armor and air support are lacking. During the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88), after initial gains by the Iraqi army, the fighting settled into years of trench warfare.

Why was it so difficult to attack trenches in WWI?

The crucial elements in attacking a trench system, surprise and overwhelming numbers of infantry, were thus almost impossible to attain. The Allies’ increased use of the tank in 1918 marked the beginning of the end of trench warfare, however, since the tank was invulnerable to the machine gun and rifle fire that were the trenches’ ultimate defense.

How was trench warfare used in the 21st century?

In the 21st century trench warfare was utilized in both the Syrian Civil War and the Russian-backed conflict in eastern Ukraine. A trench system may begin simply as a collection of foxholes hastily dug by troops using their entrenching tools.

Is trench warfare a relic of a bygone age?

For this reason, and because trench warfare is so closely associated with primitive black-and-white footage of men struggling to cross the pockmarked battlefields of Belgium and France, it is commonly assumed that this military strategy is a relic of a bygone age, as likely to reappear as catapults or cavalry charges.