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To what extent did conditions change between 1914 and 1918?

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To what extent did conditions change between 1914 and 1918? Throughout the four years very little changed to the conditions, there were only really two main things, which changed, and they were the style of fighting and the technology. For the British it was especially hard to live in the trenches, for the reason that Britain had not prepared for war, so didn't have the resources ready. Also the government thought that the war would be over really quickly and they felt that there was no point in wasting money on making the soldiers lives more comfortable as they felt they would be throwing away money. As the time went on the trenches became more horrific and hard to live and fight from. ...read more.


Nevertheless the Weston front came to a stand still as both sides were dug in massive defensive positions littered with pillboxes, wire, strong points, and mine. There were different types of gas, the first was an irritant, the second made your eyes hurt, the third made your throat hurt and your lungs fill with fluid and the fourth killed you if inhaled. The gas as form of weapon was a key breakthrough in the fighting tactics as it could kill a large group of soldiers. This weapon helped the Germans get back on track of winning, so the allies had to think of a weapon, which could protect them from the gas. When the gas mask was first introduced, it was just a bandage, which they would wet and put over their mouths. ...read more.


It was then just before the war finished that the method of fighting altered again, this was due to the tank being invented and also gas starting to emerge. In 1917 the USA joined the war, because the Germans had used unrestricted submarines warfare to try and block out the British, however this involved sinking the American ships. Germans hoped they would win the war before the American troops arrived, the Americans declared war on Germany in April, the first American troop reached the western front in May. With America entering it helped the Weston front because the Americans sent over resources to help block out The German Army even more. I think that the soldiers and commandos should have concentrated a little less on the technology and more on the trenches. They kept on improving the weapons and other equipment but never improved the trenches to help make the soldier lives more comfortable. Michelle Allford ...read more.

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