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%