In WWI geography was a major factor in deciding the outcome of battles. The battle of Rafa shows a good example of this. Rafa was a desert, whose ground was covered in rocks and sand, making soldier movement slowed to the construction pace of a pipeline and railroad. In addition, the land around Rafa was wide and open, making it much more difficult for the British to take Rafa. In fact, towards the end of The Battle of Rafa the British actually gave the order to retreat. Geography played a key role in other battles, such as The Battle of The Somme. In The Battle of The Somme the ground was chalky, making it easier to construct deep trenches and protect soldiers. The German soldiers in the battle also were on a higher level than the British, giving them an advantage. However, the field became a catastrophe in October because of excess rain and snowstorms, giving a much tougher time to both sides of the battle. Weather also played a big role In the Battle of Cambrai. The British carried out a hit and run on the German line of defense. Nonetheless, terrible weather arose, and the advantage of the break in the front could not be taken due to infantry reinforcements being unavailable. In conclusion, the geography of a battle is often a very important factor to consider, as it is shown countless times again and again how major of an element this is in the outcome of a battle.

 

The soldier’s experience in WWI was a very harsh one, often emotionally and physically draining, such as the Battle of Rafa. In the Battle of Rafa British soldiers had little hope of conquering Rafa. They had a shortage in ammunition, and Rafa was well fortified. Additionally, with Rafa being a desert the battle was very physically draining. Water was scarce, supplies were limited, and it was unbearably hot. The soldier’s experience was similar in The Battle of Romani, taking place in the Sinai desert. The weather was also unbearably hot, as it took place in the middle of a desert in the summer, and soldiers often died of dehydration. British soldiers were not trained to move and fight in the desert, thus giving them a disadvantage. Lastly, in The Battle of Verdun, probably one of the worst battles, soldiers ate, slept, and fought in trenches basically constructed from fallen soldiers. The trenches in which they fought were watery, soldiers became trapped in mud, and trench foot was a common disease among soldiers. To summarize, the evidence above it is obvious that a soldier’s experience in the war was very emotionally and physically draining, as soldiers were forced to live in brutal conditions and cope with terrifying realities.

 

In WWI imperialism played its part as countries fought for desirable land, such as areas that would give an advantage in the war. In The Battle of Rafa the British fought to conquer the Sinai Peninsula, allowing them protect Egypt and remain a threat to the Palestine. It also allowed quick access to other parts of the country. Imperialism also played a role in the First Battle of Ypres, a town in Belgium. Ypres had rivers connecting it to the coast, high ground, and flat land. Due to its high value, the British and Germans fought for this town. If captured, the British could use this town to restrain German U-boat attacks. Another battle involving imperialism was The Battle of Romani, where German and Ottoman troops attempted for their second time to conquer the Suez Canal from the British. If the Germans and Ottomans had conquered Romani Britain’s communications with their colonies would have been obstructed. In brief, conquer of advantageous land was a major factor in WWI, and was very important to the outcome of the war.

 

The battles of WWI brought many technological innovations aiding soldiers on the battlefield along with them, such as cars with mounted machine guns and bullet proof tanks. In The Battle of Rafa cars mounted with machine guns were used in warfare. Another battle using an innovation was the Battle of Cambrai. The Battle of Cambrai is known for being the first battle to successfully use tanks in warfare. The British used tanks to break the German lines. However, eventually weaknesses were found in the tanks and they were brought down. In addition, aerial bombardments were used in the First Battle of Gaza to bombard and ruin communication lines with the Ottoman Empire. In short, battles were aided many times by technological innovations in WWI, and allowed further innovation for the future.