Almost everyone came across the word "trench". But not everyone knows that this term has several meanings. For example, this is the name of some villages and towns in Russia and Ukraine. It is also a military abbreviation. What is a trench? This issue will be considered in detail in the article.
Dictionary word
Before you begin to study what is a trench, we turn to the explanatory dictionary, which gives the following definitions:
- Deepening in the ground (soil), having a certain depth, width and length. Designed to protect military personnel from destruction by fragments and firearms. It also serves as a fortification from which return fire can be conducted on enemy troops. There are various varieties and types of this structure.
- The abbreviation OKOP stands for: Detachment of fire support ships. These are temporarily disbanded warships with missile and artillery weapons on board that are intended to support ground forces.
- Names of settlements (towns, villages and villages) located in Russia and Ukraine.
As follows from the explanations of the dictionary, the word "trench" has several meanings. It is best known as a military fortification. Consider this value in more detail.
History reference
What is a trench, we described above. If the term is used as a military fortification, it is necessary to explain all its features. Trenches are divided into small arms and artillery. For the first time such fortifications created by military engineers and approved by the commanders appeared during the Crimean War of 1854-1855 (during the defense of Sevastopol). The initiator of the use of such structures was General Engineer E. Totleben.
The appearance of Linneman's infantry shovel in 1872 and its introduction into the arsenal of fighters in most armies of the world led to the fact that trenches during the battles began to be used everywhere.
During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, it became most obvious that the high fortifications for artillery and riflemen that were used earlier were extremely noticeable and did not meet the modern conditions of positional warfare in a wide format. In this regard, the value of the trench increased significantly and made it the only acceptable form of protection.
Mass use
The main advantage of the objects in question was that they defended the military well and were hardly noticeable. During the First World War, the so-called full-profile trenches became the main type. Due to their technical characteristics, they allow you to save the lives of a large number of soldiers.
The experience of the Great Patriotic War showed that the best defensive structure is the type that allows firing from the bottom of the ditch, as well as moving inside it without endangering it. Compared to a full-profile trench, it is more hidden and protected from aircraft, artillery and enemy tanks.
Types
Continuing to consider what a trench means, it is necessary to study their types. They are distributed according to the weapons used in them. The most common is a rifle trench, which is designed to house infantry troops and fire from almost all types of small arms.
There is another type of fortification called the "machine gun nest." It is also intended for firing firearms, but has significant differences from small arms. The main thing is that a special recess is excavated for the installation of the machine gun (most often it is made square), located in the immediate vicinity of the main trench.
The trench for the location of shooters using anti-tank rifles is similar in type to the "machine gun nest". The difference is that the first is done much narrower.
Other types
An artillery trench is designed to accommodate cannons, howitzers, and also mortar guns. Previously, they were divided into "gun" and "mortar", now there is a generalized name. Fortifications for mortars have the same principle as the "machine gun nest". Trenches for guns and other similar tools are significantly different from them. The main difference is the presence of an enlarged front parapet (embankment). The remaining dimensions are purely individual and are respected taking into account the dimensions of a particular gun.
Also, the trenches are divided by type of construction (parapet and unbridled). As mentioned earlier, the parapet is an embankment that is located in front or behind the fortification. It is intended for better protection of warriors, weapons, as well as for convenient firing.
The parapet is a kind of formation of a fighting position, and in the fortifications themselves it also serves as an additional obstacle for enemy troops in the event of an assault.
We examined what a trench is like as a defensive structure. It must be said that it has become key in military science and on the battlefields. The appearance of trenches radically changed the methods and methods of waging a positional war, significantly reducing losses in manpower.