Trench Warfare and Weapons Technology in WWI

A collective term for the various diseases that spread rapidly in the cramped, unsanitary conditions of the trenches during WWI. This included ailments like trench fever, influenza, tuberculosis, and dysentery.

Soldiers in the trenches faced constant fear of death from exploding shells, sniper fire, and poison gas attacks.

A medical condition caused by the psychological trauma of prolonged exposure to the horrors of war. Symptoms included exhaustion, fear, and emotional breakdowns.

A debilitating condition caused by lice, which were a constant problem in the trenches. Soldiers would gather to remove lice with a heated tin, a social activity called 'chatting'.

A significant development during WWI, artillery became more powerful and accurate, with some German guns capable of firing shells over 25 miles.

Machine guns became more portable and efficient during WWI, significantly increasing the number of casualties in warfare.

A horrific weapon introduced in WWI, poison gas was used to cause death by suffocation. While France first used gas, Germany was the first to employ it for lethal purposes.

The invention and development of tanks during WWI changed battlefield tactics. Though initial models were slow, their mobility and firepower made them effective.

The Tsar held absolute power, ruling by divine right, and controlling the government, military, and the Russian Orthodox Church.

Russia's vast size and poor infrastructure made it challenging to manage the economy effectively. Communication and transportation were slow, hampering the Tsar's ability to control and support industries.

Despite the Tsar's rule, there were three key groups that provided him with support: the Army, the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Aristocracy.

While Russia had a late start to industrialization, its workers faced harsh conditions and poverty due to the rapid growth of cities and factories.

Millions of peasants, scattered across the vast Russian countryside, were generally poor, conservative, and desired land ownership and freedom to sell their produce.

Portable X-ray machines were a vital innovation in WWI, allowing doctors to see inside bodies and treat injuries more effectively. Marie Curie famously led initiatives to bring mobile X-ray units to the front lines. This technology revolutionized medical care in wartime.

The first blood bank was established during WWI by Dr. Oswald Robert, a US Army doctor. This innovation revolutionized battlefield medicine by allowing soldiers to receive safe, sterile blood transfusions, significantly increasing survival rates.

The Thomas splint was a revolutionary splint used in WWI for broken legs, dramatically improving survival rates for soldiers with such injuries. Before its use, the majority of soldiers with a broken leg died, but the splint significantly reduced this number.

WWI had devastating psychological impacts, leading to widespread Shell Shock. Soldiers experienced symptoms such as paralysis, speech loss, and disorientation. Special units were established during the war to help these soldiers, using methods like talking therapy.

Facial injuries were common in WWI due to shrapnel and explosions. Plastic surgery emerged as a solution to repair these injuries. Surgeons used grafted skin from rib bones to reconstruct faces, pioneering the field of facial reconstruction.

WWI led to the collapse of four major empires: the German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian Empires. These empires had controlled vast territories across Europe, Asia, and Africa, and their collapse resulted in the formation of new, independent nations.

The Treaty of Versailles, signed after WWI, held Germany responsible for starting the war. Germany lost significant territory and population, leading to widespread humiliation and anger. These factors played a crucial role in setting the stage for World War II.

The war challenged societal norms and opened doors for women's increased participation and representation. In many fields, women proved their capabilities and demanded equal rights, leading to the women's suffrage movement and a shift in perspectives.

The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 was a humiliating defeat for Russia, as they were defeated by Japan, a nation considered a rising power in the East. This defeat contributed to a feeling of humiliation within the Russian military and undermined the Tsar's authority.

The Bloody Sunday Massacre of January 1905 saw a peaceful protest of workers demanding better living conditions brutally suppressed by Tsarist troops. This event, where hundreds of unarmed civilians were killed, sparked widespread anger and unrest across Russia, weakening Tsar Nicholas II's grip on power.

The Tsar reluctantly agreed to the formation of a Duma, a parliament, in response to the unrest of 1903. However, he was unwilling to share power, indicating his autocratic tendencies and his reluctance to embrace democratic reforms.

The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), founded by Emmeline Pankhurst in 1903, advocated for women's suffrage through militant tactics. They believed in aggressive campaigning and public displays to draw attention to their cause, setting themselves apart from the more moderate National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS).

In a desperate attempt to gain political leverage, suffragettes employed hunger strikes. This tactic, which led to force-feeding and public notoriety, aimed to exploit the government's fear of martyrs and garner sympathy for their cause.

The 'Cat and Mouse Act' was a British law passed in 1913 that allowed the temporary release of suffragettes who were imprisoned for their activism. This seemingly humane act was used to control their actions, as they were re-arrested upon recovery, creating a cycle of imprisonment and release.

Despite the rise of women's suffrage movement, the war saw the return of women to domestic roles. Women were expected to return to their traditional roles within the home while men returned to jobs and positions of authority.

The women who headed households experienced immense hardship as many lost male family members during the war. They faced economic hardship, unequal pay, and continued societal expectations that limited their opportunities and roles.