The Great War

You are about to see some pictures of soldiers during WWI. As you see them, analyze them thinking about the following questions: What is going on? What are these people doing? How are they feeling? What could be considered an aspect of normal daily life?

This photograph shows daily life on the frontline. A British soldier is washing in the stagnant water that has collected in a shell crater. Millions of soldiers lived in similar conditions of poor hygiene. toilet#sthash.Jj1Mjjhr.dpuf

This photograph shows daily life in a trench: a soldier is having his hair cut. At the beginning of the war, it was thought the conflict would last just a few weeks or months. But quickly it became a war of attrition, and spanned more than four years. Trenches, like this one on the Albanian Front, became home for the soldiers. cerna#sthash.8Pqz0mng.dpuf

In this photograph we can see a group of soldiers, Highlander and Indian Dogras, sitting in a trench. Each man has a rifle in front of him, to which a bayonet could be fixed for close combat. in-trench#sthash.UiAtPXtE.dpuf

In this photograph we can see Indian soldiers digging a trench, which is then reinforced with sandbags and protected by barbed wire at the front. Over 1.5 million Indian soldiers fought as volunteers for Great Britain in the First World War. trenches#sthash.OzDdCLFP.dpuf

In an unrelenting war, religion played a major role. This photograph of an Italian priest blessing English soldiers in the field demonstrates the personal devotion of many troops during World War One. english-soldiers#sthash.FjXyU1jc.dpuf

This photograph shows an officer in his hut, which is dug into the side of a trench. The walls are reinforced with sandbags and hay bales to protect against shell attacks. dugout#sthash.ycnUxDLU.dpuf

Now, after seeing the pictures, read the article by Paul Cornish and answer the following questions: What was the reality of daily life in the trenches? What difficulties did soldiers face in the trenches? Was life the same for all? Explain.