he health of the soldiers. They were a dangerous place to be not only because of the fighting, but also due to the biological disasters that were filling the trenches. One could catch trench foot just from standing in the cold water so long. Not to mention the numerous diseases spreading like wildfire throughout the muck of dead bodies and mud. These things deteriorated at the morale of the men, and made them feel less eager to continue. These types of thoughts can costs many lives.Fussell describes the trenches very thoroughly and explains the faults and brilliance of the trenches of both armies. He really gives the reader an idea of the situation when he writes, “The British trenches were wet, cold, smelly, and thoroughly squalid. Compared with the precise and thorough German works, they were decidedly amateur, reflecting a complacency about the British genius for improvisation (Fussell 43).” This tells the reader why the British soldiers would have such a hard time wanting to go on and continue the fight. The conditions were so bad in the trenches that men would lose sight of the goal, but rather focus on the horrible situation in which they have been placed. This enables the enemy to overpower them more easily. It is important in battle for one to keep a cool and steady head. Also, as Fussell teaches, the conditions need to be bearable as well. It is nearly impossible to keep a cool and steady head when one is overcome with repulsion of ones current location. That is definitely one of the reasons trench warfare did not survive over the past few decades. Morale continues to be one of the top priorities of any army. The importance of morale is becoming a global concept excepted by armies across the globe. ...
