What was the difference between ww1 and ww2 trenches?

While WWI was fought in the trenches and used machine guns and poisonous gas, WWII was fought using modern artillery and machines utilizing more airplanes, ships, tanks, and submarines. WWII ended with the defeat of Germany and Japan. It led to the rise of two new world superpowers, the USA and the Soviet Union.

How were trenches different in the First World War?

There were three different types of trenches: firing trenches, lined on the side facing the enemy by steps where defending soldiers would stand to fire machine guns and throw grenades at the advancing offense; communication trenches; and “saps,” shallower positions that extended into no-man’s-land and afforded spots …

What were trenches like in ww2?

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.

Were trenches used in ww1 or ww2?

Trenches were common throughout the Western Front. Long, narrow trenches dug into the ground at the front, usually by the infantry soldiers who would occupy them for weeks at a time, were designed to protect World War I troops from machine-gun fire and artillery attack from the air.

Why were trenches used in WW2?

This defensive layout was soon rendered obsolete as the power of artillery grew; however, in certain sectors of the front, the support trench was maintained as a decoy to attract the enemy bombardment away from the front and reserve lines.

What was life like in the trenches in World war 1?

The soldiers lived in fear of being attacked by the enemy and of catching diseases. Soldiers were tired and found it difficult to sleep. They had 2 hour watches where they looked for the enemy. There were often night raids when the enemy would sneak across No Man’s Land and kill or take prisoner soldiers in the trench.

Why were trenches used in ww2?

How common was trench warfare in WW2?

Obviously trench warfare was much less prevalent than it was during World War 1, but the use of trenches was still a common and necessary thing during World War 2. The reason that trenches were still used during WW2 is that was because the most common cause of death for soldiers during the war was by artillery.

How did they protect the trench lines in WW1?

Periscopes and mirrors were also used to see above the sandbags. The rear wall of the trench, known as the parados, was lined with sandbags as well, protecting against a rear assault. Because constant shelling and frequent rainfall could cause the trench walls to collapse, the walls were reinforced with sandbags, logs, and branches.

How many trenches are there in a trench system?

A typical trench system included a line of three or four trenches: the front line (also called the outpost or the fire line), the support trench, and the reserve trench, all built parallel to one another and anywhere from 100 to 400 yards apart.

Where did the first trenches start and end?

By the end of that year, they stretched 475 miles, starting at the North Sea, running through Belgium and northern France, and ending in the Swiss frontier. Although the specific construction of a trench was determined by the local terrain, most were built according to the same basic design.