history revision

history edexcel

why were there so many battles in ypres?

several battles took place here because it was on route to calais and dunkirk. the british needed to protect this route so that they could still recieve supplies and reinforcements.

it was also a vulnerable area for the british as the germans had the high ground and could see the british defenses and movement of troops

what was the terrain at ypres

there was heavy soil at ypres which became easily watter logged and flooded. this presented problems for the movement of stretcher bearers but also encouraged trench foot which could lead to gangrene and ,for the worse cases, amputation

what was the battle of the somme-france known for

more men died on the first day then any battle before or since. britain suffered 400,000 casualties in total, 20,000 of which died on the first day. the battle lasted from july to november 1916

what was the impact of the somme of medical services

the high number of casualties meant that the medical services needed to work quickly and under pressure. they used tanks for the first time which created uneven ground making transportation of wounded soldiers hard

list some problems in treating the wounded on the western front

constant dropping of bombs

bacteria in the soil

the heavy mud

high casualty rates(slowed medical treatment)

why did they rush to build the trenches

to protect the positions they had claimed and their routes. their trench system developed throughout the war

list the areas of the trench

frint line

communication-to connect trenches

support trench- to retreat into

no mans land- stretch of land between enemy trenches

dugout- dug into the side of trenches for protection and rest

what is trench fever

trench fever was an illness that caused headaches, shivering and joint pain. it was spread by lice in the trenches

how was trench fever treated

clothing and bedding was dissinfected

bathhouses were built

soldiers picked lice out of clothing and ran a match down the seams

what is trench foot

trench foot was a condition that caused soldiers feet to become swollen, blistered and blue. it was caused by having wet feet and was made worse if the boots were tight and they couldnt change socks

how was trench fever treated

the soldiers were made to change their socks twice a day

soldiers were encouraged to rub oil on their feet

mechanical pumps were used to reduce flooding

what is shell shock

shell shock was a psychological condition which was triggered as a response to the trauma of war. shell shock was not properly understood so often cases went unseen. soldiers suffering with shell shock were given rest and food

name the three types of gas used in the war

chlorine-caused soldiers to struggle with breathing and this was prevented by either using gas masks or soaking a cloth in urine to cover their face with

phosgene gas- caused suffocation that led to a very quick death

mustard gas- didnt cause a smell and burned the skin causing internal and external blisters. it caused suffocation and death

what is a regimental aid post

a rap was an area close to the trench that offered treatment to light wounds

what is a dressing station

a tent behind the trenches where seriously injured soldiers were moved to a casualty clearing station

what is a casualty clearing station

a ccs was a medical facility that treated the moderatly seriously wounded where soldiers were treated by educated doctors, surgeons and nurses

what is a base hospital

where civilians and serious injuries were treated. they were large converted buildings with specialist centres for specific purposes

what is anticeptic surgery

it is a way to remove bacteria from wounds and surgical instruments

why were there so many medical advancements developed on the western front

as there were new problems with more dangerous weapons and terrain

the government dedicated resources to improving medical and surgical equipment

high numbers of casualties led to more operations

doctors under pressure to treat and heal soldiers so they could return to fighting

what was the thomas splint

it was a length of wood that prevented broken bones from rubbing on each other. it prevented blood loss and resulted in the death rate of broken thigh bones going from 80% to 20%