WWI & Trench Warfare

The Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated which was one of the main causes of World War I. He was the heir to the Austrian throne and was believed to have been killed by Serbian Nationalists. This greatly angered Austria who wanted to attack Serbia but would only fight if Germany would ally with them. After Germany entered the fight other countries started joining in which started the war. Soon after, Germany drew up a battle plan they called the Schlieffen Plan. This plan was made to try and quickly beat France so all focus could be on Russia. The allies however defeated Germany in the Battle of the Marne which kept both sides at a stalemate. French and British forces had little resources and needed ways to protect themselves from the many artillery strikes and continued machine gun fire. Germany as well had the same problem with artillery strikes and constant machine gun fire. Trench warfare was horrific. There was no where to go, no way to advance, and life in the trenches was tough. The conditions in the trenches was awful. Sickness and death filled the trenches. The soldiers would stay in the trenches for months and months at a time never really getting good food or good treatment when sick. Also new inventions such as mustard gas caused more hardship because exposure to the gas caused a very painful death with no way to treat it. Disease was easily spread because there was no place for doctors because in the trenches, everything was unsanitary. Water in the bottom of the trenches caused the soldier’s feet to become wet and cold causing more sickness. The trenches helped protect the soldiers from machine gun fire for the most part however cause more sickness and hardship. The survivors of the trenches had long term effects that were mental, emotional, as well as physical.

Wow...that kind of timing...20 minutes before midnight...

Anyway, you didn't mention the effect of the trenches on the civilians.

Adding to what Max said, you also didn't really talk about government as well... You mainly talked about the actual fighting, and the conditions of the soldiers. But, all of your data on soldiers was accurate!