Trench WarfareTrench Warfare

usually about seven feet deep and usually about seven feet deep and six feet wide six feet wide

protected by barbed-wire protected by barbed-wire entanglements and machine-gun entanglements and machine-gun posts posts

Trench WarfareTrench Warfare

GASGAS ChlorineChlorine

– destroyed the respiratory organs of destroyed the respiratory organs of its victims its victims

– slow death by asphyxiationslow death by asphyxiation– with masks of cotton pads that had with masks of cotton pads that had

been soaked in urine (ammonia been soaked in urine (ammonia absorbed the Chlorine) absorbed the Chlorine)

GasGas

GASGAS Mustard GasMustard Gas

– skin blisteredskin blistered– eyes very sore eyes very sore – vomitingvomiting– internal & external bleeding internal & external bleeding – Attacked bronchial tubes, stripping off Attacked bronchial tubes, stripping off

mucous membranemucous membrane– extremely painful -- most soldiers strapped extremely painful -- most soldiers strapped

to their bedsto their beds– 4 or 5 weeks to die4 or 5 weeks to die

GasGas

GASGAS

British Gas British Gas Casualties: Casualties: 1914-181914-18

DeathsDeaths Non-FatalNon-Fatal

Chlorine Chlorine 1,976 1,976 164,457 164,457

Mustard Mustard Gas Gas

4,086 4,086 16,526 16,526

Trench FootTrench Foot cold, wet and unsanitary conditions cold, wet and unsanitary conditions able to remove wet socks or boots able to remove wet socks or boots feet would gradually go numb & skin turned feet would gradually go numb & skin turned

red or blue red or blue could turn gangrenous and result in could turn gangrenous and result in

amputation amputation during the winter of 1914-15 over 20,000 during the winter of 1914-15 over 20,000

men in the British Army were treated for men in the British Army were treated for trench foot.trench foot.

Trench FootTrench Foot

The DeadThe Dead Estimates vary from 8.5 to 12.0 million Estimates vary from 8.5 to 12.0 million

Stuart Cloete, Stuart Cloete, A Victorian SonA Victorian Son (1972) (1972)

As you lifted a body by its arms and legs, As you lifted a body by its arms and legs, they detached themselves from the torso, they detached themselves from the torso, and this was not the worst thing. Each body and this was not the worst thing. Each body was covered inches deep with a black fur of was covered inches deep with a black fur of flies, which flew up into your face, into your flies, which flew up into your face, into your mouth, eyes and nostrils as you mouth, eyes and nostrils as you approached. The bodies crawled with approached. The bodies crawled with maggots. The bodies had the consistency of maggots. The bodies had the consistency of Camembert cheese. Camembert cheese.

The PoetsThe Poets

Wilfred Owen

Siegfried Sassoon

Rupert Brooke

Art by Brandin Deets