Trench warfare

Trench warfare is a form of war in which both opposing armies have static lines of fortifications dug into the ground, facing each other. Trench warfare arose when there was a revolution in firepower without similar advances in mobility and communications. Periods of trench warfare occurred during the American Civil War (1860s) and the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, and reached peak brutality and bloodshed on the Western Front in the First World War.

Recent trench warfare

Trench warfare has been very infrequent since the end of World War I. When two large armored armies meet, the result has generally been mobile warfare of the type which developed in World War II.

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The most cited example of trench warfare after World War I was the Iran-Iraq War in which both armies had a large number of infantry with modern small arms, but very little armor, aircraft or training in combined weapons. The result was very similar to World War I with trenches and chemical warfare used.

Related Topics:
Iran-Iraq War - Chemical warfare

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Another example of trench stalemate was the Eritrean-Ethiopian War of 1998–2002. The frontline in Korea and the front lines between Pakistan and India in Kashmir, are two examples of demarcation lines which could become hot at any time. They consist of miles trenches linking fortified strong points and in Korea surrounded by millions of land mines.

Related Topics:
Eritrean-Ethiopian War - 1998 - 2002 - Korea - Pakistan - India - Kashmir - Land mine

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