What was the impact of Trench Warfare on World War 1?
In answer to your first question, it led to stalemate. Neither Entente nor Central Powers had the offensive power to overcome the defensive tactic of trench warfare in the era of the machine gun and mustard gas. In answer to your second, I guess you’re asking how so many soldiers died in trench warfare. There were three major factors: 1. Infantry tactics had not yet been adjusted to overcome or even accomodate the machine gun. Therefore, soldiers on both sides were repeatedly and senselessly ordered to run at machine gun emplacements without much hope of overcoming them. 2. In addition to advanced guns, both sides used chemical warfare, especially mustard gas, which caused blistering of skin and mucous membrane. Therefore, anyone who breathed in mustard gas died a horrible death of their lungs choking up blood. 3. The trenches flooded with water, sewage and dead people and animals. Disease spread quickly. Wounds festered and killed soldiers who today would survive at a much greater rat
