Trenches at Carlisle Army War College

This is a picture of the replica World War 1 trenches at the Carlisle Army War College.  The Carlisle Army War College is a really neat place because it has different sections that portray every war fought by the U.S.  The day that we visited, there was a French reenactor giving information about the war and how it was fought.  World War I is probably the most famous war when it comes to trench warfare.  Land was destroyed to be made into trench lines facing the enemy, and between the trenches were flat areas of dead land covered in barbed wire, land mines, and sometimes even gas.  At this time, it was not unlikely to have mass charges where one line ran straight at the enemy.  This however was ineffective because the enemy was protected in trenches and with the invention of the fully automatic machine gun it was next to impossible.  It was finally understood during this war that charging over an open field at an enemy force was a terrible decision.  That’s why gas attacks became very popular during World War I.  Troops were afraid to get out and try to attack so there would be stalemates in the lines for sometimes months on end.  That’s when gas attacks were used to either kill or cause the enemy to abandon their trenches.  Gas actually gave my Great-Grandfather a ticket home from the war.