Practically everyone has come 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 on the territory of Russia and Ukraine. It is also a military abbreviation. What is a trench? This issue will be discussed in detail in the article.
Word in dictionary
Before we begin to study what a trench is, let's turn to the explanatory dictionary, which gives the following definitions:
- A deepening in the ground (soil), having a certain depth, width and length. Designed to protect military personnel from being hit by shrapnel and firearms. It also serves as a fortification from which you can return fire 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, which are intended to support ground forces.
- Names of settlements (towns, villages and villages) located in Russia and Ukraine.
As follows fromexplanations of the dictionary, the word "trench" has several meanings. It is best known as a military fortification. Let's take a closer look at this value.
Historical background
What is a trench, we told above. If the term is used as a military fortification, it is necessary to explain all its features. The trenches are divided into rifle and artillery. For the first time such fortifications, created by military engineers and approved by commanders, appeared during the Crimean War of 1854-1855 (during the defense of Sevastopol). The initiator of the use of such structures was engineer-general E. Totleben.
The appearance of the Linnemann infantry shovel in 1872 and its introduction into the arsenal of fighters in most armies of the world led to the fact that trenches began to be used everywhere during the battles.
During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, it became most obvious that the high fortifications for artillery and shooters, which were used earlier, are extremely noticeable and do not meet the modern conditions of positional warfare in a wide format. In this regard, the importance of the trench has increased significantly and made it the only acceptable form of protection.
Mass use
The main advantage of the objects in question was that they protected the military well and were hardly noticeable. During the First World War, the so-called full profile trenches became the main type. Thanks 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 being in danger. Compared to a full profile trench, it is more hidden and protected from enemy aircraft, artillery and 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 the rifle trench, which is intended to accommodate infantry troops and fire from almost all types of small arms.
There is another type of fortification called "machine gun nest". It is also intended for firing from firearms, but has significant differences from small arms. The main thing is that to install a machine gun, a special recess is dug (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 one is made much narrower.
Other types
The artillery trench is designed to accommodate cannons, howitzers, and 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 forcannons and other similar weapons differ significantly from them. The main difference is the presence of an enlarged front parapet (mound). The remaining dimensions are purely individual and are observed taking into account the dimensions of a particular weapon.
Also, the trenches are divided according to the type of construction (beam-barreled and unbeamed). As mentioned earlier, a parapet is an embankment that is located in front or behind a 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 combat position, and in the fortifications themselves it also serves as an additional barrier for enemy troops in the event of an assault.
We looked at what a trench is as a defensive structure. It must be said that it has become a key one in military science and on the battlefields. The appearance of trenches radically changed the methods and methods of conducting positional warfare, significantly reducing losses in manpower.
