Trench warfare dominated the Western Front for much of the war.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2022). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] It affected soldiers on the front line.
2. [1] It was caused by the constant shelling and it affected the soldiers in the trenches.
3. [1] It was a psychological condition suffered by soldiers.
4. [1] It was a type of mental breakdown caused by the strain of warfare suffered by soldiers.
5. [1] Soldiers suffered from it long after the war ended.
6. [1] It was a panic and an inability to sleep or even talk.
7. [1] It lasted for so long because neither side knew what to do about it and so it simply lasted for years.
8. [1] The two sides were often evenly matched.
9. [1] The trenches were reinforced with concrete and heavily defended with machine guns.
10. [1] Men charging across No Man's Land were often shot or got caught in the barbed wire.
11. [1] Artillery attacks were often inaccurate.
12. [1] If soldiers did reach the enemy trenches, they were often not supported by reinforcements.
13. [Explanation L3] Trench warfare lasted so long because it was a defensive system and not offensive. The heavy protection, such as barbed wire, the machine guns and No Man's Land, all made the trenches very difficult to attack. Cavalry charges across No Man's Land could easily be cut down. Also, artillery attacks on the trenches were often inaccurate. There were some new weapons for attacking, like tanks, but it took some time before they were used properly. All this meant that trench warfare lasted for years.
14. [1] I think there were many other new weapons that were far more important in the war.
15. [1] Gas was feared by the soldiers.
16. [1] Gas could produce terrible injuries.
17. [1] Gas was easily sent over to the enemy's side.
18. [1] Gas was not very useful because the wind could change direction.
19. [1] It actually killed few men.
20. [1] Gas masks made it less of a threat.
21. [1] Soldiers could often return to the Front after suffering from gas.
22. [1] Tanks were far more important as was seen at Amiens where they broke through the German front line.
23. [1] Machine guns were very effective in defending the trenches.
24. [1] Tanks often broke down.
25. [1] Tanks were very slow.
26. [1] Machine guns could jam and were heavy.
27. [Explanation L3 (Gas important)] Gas was a very important weapon. Its effects were horrifying and the soldiers were in great fear of it. It could be added to shells that were fired at the enemy. When the shell landed and exploded, the gas would be released. Its effects on the soldiers could be terrible. Soldiers' breathing systems could be destroyed and mustard gas burned the soldiers, creating blisters inside and outside the body. Thousands of soldiers were killed and injured by gas. It was important because of the fear it struck into the soldiers.
28. [Explanation L3 (Gas not important)] I do not agree with this at all. Although gas was dangerous and very unpleasant, it was responsible for only a small percentage of deaths in the war about 4%. Also, a very small percentage of soldiers died from gas and over half were ready to return to fighting after six weeks. As the war progressed, gas masks were developed and this made gas less of a threat. Overall, gas made very little difference to the development and course of the war.