The Trench Warfare Question

The most interesting thing that happened to me today? I cleaned my room and found... a ton of fluff. My damn socks are shedding. Either that or the reason I noticed is because my cat is no longer eating the fluffs... It's a mystery.

Where am I going with this? Absolutely nowhere. I spent the day procrastinating. You try reading ten pages of why sunsets and sunrises were significant in WW1 literature. Eventually it becomes more of the same. Sun goes up, soldiers peek over the trench, many of them die. Sun goes down, soldiers climb over the edge of the trench and dig more trenches or put up wire.

Actually, reading those articles again called into question the whole idea of trench warfare. I really don't get it. It's not all that complicated, but why the hell would the nations of the world, not just one, think that both sides using defensive strategies would be a good idea? As soon as you stick your head above ground you're screwed. If you don't stick your head above ground you don't move. In order to move forward a kilometre you have to kill a third of your total force. Proportionally, it doesn't make much sense to me. Granted, the trenches themselves could be extremely complex, but the logic... seriously, who thought that strategy up?

From my readings tonight, I got an added perspective. You're literally living in a disease-ridden hole in the ground. Why not just live in a grave? Dirt below you, dirt to your left, to your right? And for kicks, pardon the pun, you lose your foot to foot rot. You only have the sky to look up at and if you're at all religious, well, you're looking at where you're hoping to live once you die. Trenches don't seem to be morale boosting environments. And I haven't even gotten to bombs being lobbed into them yet! It just gets funner from there!

I suppose this is going to be my question for the day: Why was trench warfare employed in WW1 and with what goal in mind?

I suppose it would go along with the idea that it was supposed to be a quick war, an easy way to grab some glory and head home. Just dig a hole and stick it out until the world leaders come to their senses. If you look at it that way, trench warfare would seem more like a reluctant way to conduct war. Attack when you absolutely have to, lay low the rest of the time. Theoretically, I suppose it would seem like a way to preserve life. An interesting contrast to WW2 which was intentionally more aggressive and all-incompassing.

Is this what it's like to think again? Oh, I love that buzz of ideas connecting! Okay, that was my nerd-off for the day. I'm now going to bed.

Lauren.