Why did World War 1 trenches last for almost 4 years?

Answer 1

These are the reasons why they asted so long xx * Barbed wire - Difficult to cut * Machine guns - mowed down men with intersecting crossfire * Gas - Slowed down heavily-laden attackers. Not so affective in trenches. * Shells - saved soldiers from all but a direct hit. Churned up the ground. Destroyed drainage systems and made attack difficult. * Railway - Could rush reinforcements to a threatened spot very quickly . * Lack of secrecy - Enemy could easily see when extra supplies were brought up for an attack * Attack at walking pace - Men could only advance at walking pace * Lack of experience - Generals never fought this way before and couldn't think of ways of breaking through trenches * Zigzagging trenches - Used to stop the enemy artillery destroying a whole line of trench and to prevent successful attackers being able to fire along a long length of a trench * Communication Trenches - Joined lines of trenches * Blind alleys - Lead nowhere, used to confuse an enemy and sow them down in the event of a successful attack. * Forward Positions - were built for miners and snipers * Underground "saps" - tunnels driven under enemy trenches so that explosives could be placed under them and detonated. * No Man's Land - Difficult to cross as belts of barbed wire, shell holes and very swampy conditions when it rained Hope there okai for you xx