The Harsh Realities of Trench Warfare
International conflicts can be detrimental to those involved and the society at large. World War I (WWI) was one of the greatest and most devastating wars associated with social, cultural, and ideological changes. While the war introduced trench warfare, it negatively impacted the soldiers involved. The trenches had deplorable conditions, with the nightmarish world of constant danger and unimaginable suffering. The emergence of WWI caused cultural, social, and ideological transformations among the American and European societies.
WWI occurred throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific, and parts of Asia. The war was associated with new forms of attacks that were utilized by the parties to counter one another. Trench warfare was one of the tactics used in the attack during World War I. Land warfare involved using occupied lines and trenches, in which warring troops protected themselves from their enemies (Duffy, 2009). The trenches were constructed so that there were areas, “no man’s land”, that were exposed to artillery fire from the conflicting parties.
Although the trenches were associated with convenient protection, they had deplorable conditions that hurt troops. According to Duffy (2009), many soldiers died in the trenches, whether there were raids or attacks from the enemy or not. Most trenches were mud-soaked, infested by rats and other animals, and invaded by diseases. In the poem Dulce et Decorum Est, Wilfred Owen narrates how the troops were congested in the trenches while cursing through mud sludge (The War Poetry Website, n.d.).
Additionally, Fussell (n.d.), in his article “Hell cannot be so terrible: Trench warfare on the Western Front,” states that diseases such as dysentery and trench fever were common. Therefore, the poor conditions in the trenches were detrimental to the soldiers involved in World War I. While the trenches were crucial defensive grounds during the war, their conditions exacerbated soldiers’ perspectives.
Fear, despair, and exhaustion marked the troops’ experiences. For instance, in the poem Dulce et Decorum Est, the poet narrates a gas attack in one of the trenches that left many soldiers dead and others fumbling (The War Poetry Website, n.d.). Those on the frontlines experienced horrific scenes of their counterparts dying. Consequently, some developed traumas and constant anxiety. Continuous artillery bombardments and fear of death changed the troops’ perspectives on winning the war. The soldiers presented a feeling of giving up since the illusions of glory and heroism were shattered.
Psychological and Physical Toll
The horrifying experiences in the trenches affected the soldiers in various ways. Physical harm was one of the major effects of trench warfare. During the war, many soldiers died of diseases and direct attacks from their enemies. Fussell (n.d.) narrates that their troops were threatened by the diseases associated with stagnant water in the trenches. Moreover, trench foot caused pain to the soldiers who could not move freely in the trenches. Furthermore, in the poem Dulce et Decorum Est, the poet describes how a gas attack left many of his partners dead, with others sustaining injuries (The War Poetry Website, n.d.). Excessive bleeding, diseases, and artillery bombardments in the trenches caused excruciating pain in soldiers during WWI.
Apart from physical pain, the soldiers who fought in the trenches were psychologically tortured. The experienced horrific scenes and pain endured during the war took a severe toll on the troops’ emotional and mental well-being. The prolonged exposure to death due to unexpected attacks and diseases caused fear and stress among them (Fussell, n.d.).
Moreover, the soldiers who witnessed their partners being killed and suffering from diseases developed trauma. Consequently, even after surviving the war, many frontline soldiers had post-traumatic stress disorder. The physical and psychological tortures experienced during WWI in the trenches encumbered the soldiers’ wellness.
Social and Cultural Impact of WWI
Apart from impacting the soldiers, WWI horrors significantly influenced European and American societies. The war’s aftermath countered the social beliefs in progress and war glorification. The death of many American and European troops changed the social perspective on the need for war to solve international conflicts.
A generational gap was created in the two continents, leaving communities devastated (Duffy, 2009). The involvement of women in roles that were initially dominated by men changed gender role dynamics. Therefore, WWI had both positive and negative impacts on the European and American social perspectives.
Ideologically, WWI shattered optimistic beliefs in Europe’s and America’s progress, reason, and stability. Consequently, there was a need to reevaluate diplomatic measures and international collaboration. Foreign and economic policies in both continents were geared towards unity and patriotism.
Culturally, the war influenced art, literature, and music in Europe and America. For instance, literary works, such as Erich Maria Remarque’s “All Quiet on the Western Front”, were developed in Europe (Frayn & Houston, 2022). Meanwhile, American writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway presented the changed attitude toward war in the U.S. (Ritner, 2022). While WWI was associated with death and suffering, it impacted European and American societies.
During WWI, many soldiers lost their lives while fighting in the trenches. The warfare adopted, the trench, exposed the troops to deplorable conditions. The presence of mud, stagnant water, rodents and other animals, and diseases in the trenches was detrimental to soldiers’ well-being.
Additionally, fear of death and unexpected attacks psychologically tortured the soldiers. Furthermore, WWI significantly impacted European and American societies from cultural, social, and ideological perspectives. While WWI negatively affected the soldiers and societies, it was a major turning point for foreign diplomacy.
References
Duffy, M. (2009). Feature articles – Life in the trenches. Firstworldwar. Web.
Frayn, A., & Houston, F. (2022). The war books boom in Britain, 1928–1930. First World War Studies, 13(1), 1–21. Web.
Fussell, P. (n.d.). “Hell cannot be so terrible”: Trench warfare on the Western Front. In Grim Realities of The Great War (1914-1918).
Ritner, K. (2022). Literature of the great war and its relation to the modern reader. Mdsoar.org, 12(2), 98–103. Web.
The War Poetry Website. (n.d.). Dulce et Decorum Est: Wilfred Owen’s famous poem. Web.