was used to oil the soldiers' feet because it was much easier to take off their boots. Ten gallons of whale oil (Simkin) was used at the front lines.With the dead and dying soldiers, rats were not far behind. Rats varied in sizes. Rats could produce around 880 offspring in one year (Simkin). Rats that could not find food in trenches resorted in eating human flesh. A large rat could devour wounded and unprotected soldiers.They are bigger than any rats I've ever seen--like small dogs. They are a hazard to all of us, for they attack the wounded as well as the dead. None of the wounded men want to sleep, for they fear a regiment of rats will make short order of them. Although I am healthy, the rats come close at night, smelling the food supplies I keep with me. If ever there was a true hell on earth, it is here in the trenches (Grolier 94). The trenches however did protect them from small explosions and gunfire. The German trench system was more elaborate and, according to some reports, better build and maintained. This was due to the fact that for long periods the German army was on the defensive, and needed an environment which would enable their men to resist the massive bombardments and assaults of the allies (Winter 129)When soldiers thought that the trenches would protect them from harm, they were in for an unsuspecting surprise. Throughout the war, the allies used five million tons (Simkin) of artillery shells against the enemy. In the first two weeks of a battle, the British with other allies managed to shoot 4,283,550 (Simkin) shells at the German defenses. The trenches never protected soldiers from shell shock. Soldiers who exposed themselves to continuous amount of shellfire produced a number of symptoms. These symptoms included tiredness, irritability, and lack of concentration, headaches, and eventually mental breakdowns. About 80,000 men (Simkin) of the British suffered from shell shock. Remarque showed how...
