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abhatia · Joined: 26 Jan 2011 Posts: 37

Trench warfare and the introduction of new weapons made the war a more personal rather than impersonal experience (enemy soldiers were would be aware of each other and this would make them more humane).

JDinardo · Joined: 14 Oct 2010 Posts: 22

I think I agree with you saying that trench warfare made combat more personal in the sense enemies were more aware of each other, they learned more about each other militarily, but I think that's the extent of that and it did nothing for humanity. I actually think this form of war was perhaps less humane even than medieval armies cutting each other down; there is something romantic about heroes cutting down enemies left and right. In trench warfare it was horrible conditions for months on end, watching friends die and going crazy from the non-stop artillery shells, all before the order to charge was even issued. The invention of poison gas was only icing on the cake, a final point to show the lack of humanity.
But then it really is a question of if war can be less or more humane. Killing is killing whether by sword, gas or Reaper UAV drone.

operaman667 · Joined: 14 Nov 2011 Posts: 9

Even though the advances in weaponry did wonders to the technological world, and trench warfare was a neat battle strategy, I still believe that inhumane behavior carried on every day of the war. I don't think that new weapons, or awareness between both sides made the war any more humane. Day after day, the list of casualties got larger and larger. The violence that carried on made me cringe just reading about it. Killing is killing, and killing is almost always inhumane (in my opinion). It doesn't matter if it was done by the newly created machine gun, or mustard gas.

The only positive thing that I can possibly think of relating to trench warfare, is the camaraderie that most soldiers experienced while being knee-deep in water, trying to keep the enemy back, and watching comrades get injured/killed.

bella · Joined: 17 Feb 2011 Posts: 11

With Trench Warfare, a French soldiers experienced the same pain as German soldiers might. Everyone experienced and/or witnessed shell-shock, mud, rats, lice, screaming, pain, and death. These soldiers fired machine guns over the trenches at the enemy and then saw bullets from similar guns whiz by their own heads. Everything they are doing to the enemy they experience. Not only are the enemies angled corpses visible, but what soldiers saw was a reflection of themselves.

Trench Warfare was a much more personal experience, but I don't completely agree with Anjali. It's a matter of empathy. Not humanity. I don't think the soldiers had any choice about whether they treated their enemies humanely. They may have wanted to, but the intensity and cruelty with which soldiers fought in this case was up to the people ordering them to fight. They had no chance to be humane on the battlefield.

and I agree with Jeff, war has always been inhumane, but now all sides experience and realize it.

I also have a question...
I know these battle went on for months so how much of the time spent in the trenches was just sitting there in between assaults?

stone · Joined: 14 Nov 2011 Posts: 5

In my opinion, trench warfare and the new weapons did made soldiers more aware of each other. However, this awareness is based on hatred. Soldiers within the trenches come across hysteria and hatred which could compel them to release their anger and take revenge on the enemies in a more hysteric way. This hysteria can cause its greatest damage only with the new and powerful weapons introduced in that era. With bullets flying through and bodies flying, the war bore more inhumane characteristics due to the introduction of the new weapons and trench warfare.

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