SOCIALS 10 - WW1 race for the coast/ trench warfare

what was the goal of both the germans and the french during the race for the coast?

to flank the other and cut off the other's supplies

what does flank mean?

(n) the side or edge of a military formation

**(v) to attack a military formation from the side**

what happened in the race to the coast?

the germans and french kept trying to flank each other, going around each other until they hit the coast, and there was no land left - this goes on for several weeks until they reach the coast and are at a stalemate

how did the race to the coast lead to trench warfare?

\-machine guns are new and dangerous so if the french and german ran into each other they had to build trenches to get out of the way of the rapid fire

\-at the coast where there was a stalemate they had no choice but to dig trenches

how were trenches shaped and why?

s-shaped, and its so that an enemy shooter who jumps into the trench can't shoot all the trench guys at once

what is no man's land?

\-narrow strip of land between the trenches

\-dangerous place to be because you are exposed to the enemy

what is going over the top?

getting out of the trenches and going into no man's land