Conditions the soldiers faced while living in the trenches by Madison Lucuski

Shell shock

1500235_1 — 2025-03-17 16:11:05 UTC

Before PTSD, soldiers suffered from dealing with trauma from the war.

Digging

1500235_1 — 2025-03-18 00:13:46 UTC

The main work in the trenches was digging, damage done by shellfire had to be repaired resulting in many new trenches being built constantly.

Dehydration

15001672 — 2025-03-18 00:20:26 UTC

Penalties

15001672 — 2025-03-18 00:23:36 UTC

Food scarcity

1500235_1 — 2025-03-18 00:25:14 UTC

There wasn't a variety of food for soldiers, many of their meals were bland and of a small portion. There wasn't much food so many men lost a lot of weight.

Diseases

15001672 — 2025-03-18 00:26:32 UTC

Poison gases

15001672 — 2025-03-18 00:29:11 UTC

Water supply

1500235_1 — 2025-03-18 00:31:02 UTC

The water was dirty and scarce. Many men drank the water they found but it was either rainwater or another dirty water.

Bad communications

15001672 — 2025-03-18 00:31:03 UTC

Anxiety

1500235_1 — 2025-03-18 00:34:20 UTC

Many soldiers suffered from anxiety from the fighting and deaths. This then led to shell shock/PTSD.

Boredom

1500235_1 — 2025-03-18 00:42:57 UTC

Many soldiers became bored waiting long hours in the trenches with nothing to do except wait.

Rats

1500235_1 — 2025-03-18 00:46:25 UTC

Rats tormented by the day and night. Oversized rats helped spread diseases throughout the soldiers.

Intense heat

15001672 — 2025-03-18 00:46:46 UTC

Lack of sleep

15001672 — 2025-03-18 00:47:42 UTC

Lice

1500235_1 — 2025-03-18 00:48:17 UTC

Lice were a constant problem for men in the trenches. They infested clothing, irritated skin and caused trench fever.

Trench foot

1500235_1 — 2025-03-18 01:07:40 UTC

The trench foot is where the foot swells up and begins to decay. It is usually caused by exposure to damp moist conditions.

Lack of supplise

15001672 — 2025-03-18 01:10:52 UTC

Trench nephritis

1500235_1 — 2025-03-18 01:11:08 UTC

Trench nephritis is a kidney infection. It was a major problem of World War I. This is from an autoimmune condition such as lupus, which causes the body's immune system to inadvertently attack the kidneys and other organs and tissues throughout the body.

Excessive mud

15001672 — 2025-03-18 01:42:26 UTC

Unsanitary

15001672 — 2025-03-18 01:45:14 UTC