Trench Conditions In Ww1 Research Paper

Decent Essays
Condition in the trenches were very bad during WWI. This essay will explain why soldiers had such trouble living in the trenches.

Source A4 shows a severe case of trench foot. Trench foot was caused by soldiers not replacing their socks in wet and muddy conditions like trenches. Soldiers had frequent checks to determine early symptoms of trench foot. Although source A4 shows an extreme case of trench foot, implying he hadn’t been treated, it was usually found and proper action was taken. The fact that this is a severe case of trench foot shows that this person’s feet hadn’t been checked for a few weeks. The reason it hasn’t been checked is unknown.

Soldiers could catch several illnesses including trench fever, trench foot, dysentery, diarrhoea, pneumonia and food poisoning. These were all physical diseases and
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‘Shell shock’ was the name for a mental disorder causing soldiers to go into a state of shock and they will lose their common sense and/or suffer from severe depression. Soldiers may cause damage to themselves in order to leave the trenches or front lines. This is proven in source A1, an historians article for a students revision/research website, with the quote: “Men in the trenches had to stand the strain of many problems. Beyond illnesses like trench fever, trench foot, dysentery, diarrhoea, pneumonia and food poisoning. There was ‘shell shock’ in which men lost their wits or their minds, or suffered from severe depression. Many men with shell shock were taken out of hospitals and returned to active duty because physically there was nothing wrong with them.” The soldiers inflicted wounds upon themselves just to be taken to hospital and away from the front lines. This is proven in source A1; an historians article for a students history website. The physical illnesses statement is proven in source A1 with the quote “Men in the trenches had to stand the strain

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