Trench warfare: an endless classic
Trench warfare, as well evidenced by the enormous literature and filmography on the subject, Has left an indelible imprint on the history of the past century. An icon of the First World War, an unwelcoming home and tomb for millions, the trench seemed, in the eyes of many, to be a now-historicized and antiquated defensive system. In particular, since the Vietnam conflict, largely based on mobility and the absence of a regular front, the trench now seemed relegated to the past.
E, With the sole exception of the Iran-Iraq war. of the 1980s, this conception remained in vogue until 2014, the year when hostilities first broke out in the eastern regions of Ukraine. Here, the predominantly flat terrain and the rapid fossilization of the conflict on a well-delineated and almost immobile front meant that the war-which was initially waged with modern techniques and numerous armored vehicles-became once again a hard, long and bloody positional war.
The current context of trench warfare
On the date of the invasion in February 2022., the situation on the ground turns out to be very peculiar. In the eastern regions of the country, where war had already been present for years, the front remains virtually immobile, due to the complex defensive system developed over time. Throughout the rest of Ukraine, instead, rapid advances by the armored columns of the Russian Federation are recorded., which bring the front well within national borders.
Within a few months, however, the modern and highly mobile warfare waged by both contenders during early months changes dramatically. After the failure of the advance on Kiev and the Ukrainian success in Kharkiv counteroffensive, the front tends to crystallize On fixed positions, without excessive changes, concentrating the hardest fighting in Bakhmut.
Thus, what began as a war of modern conception became very similar to the wartime context that, instead, had bled the European continent dry in the early twentieth century.
But in detail, what are the reasons for this stalemate? The first motivation is to be found in technology. Unlike the Middle Eastern wars, in Ukraine, we are witnessing for the first time a regular armed conflict fought by two equal contenders, both equipped with technological weaponry and trained in extremely similar ways.
Systems such as drones - loitering munitions, commercial and modified drones - ATGM, anti-tank weapons of various types and ranges, combined with a constant and accurate electronic warfare support and the aid of satellites, made life almost impossible for any armored or armored vehicle on the front line.
Indeed, during the course of the conflict, there were very high losses of these vehicles, which, increasingly vulnerable to such armaments and technologies, found themselves relegated to simple support roles for the infantry.
Trench attack tactics
The frontal assault
At this point, it is easy to understand why more and more use is being made of trenches. Men, now forced to fight in the same strip of land for entire weeks or months, they need to dig and take refuge in the earth to survive. Accordingly, the only way to achieve tactical successes, is to launch an assault on enemy trenches, with the risk of extremely violent close-quarters or hand-to-hand combat.
From analysis of the numerous videos on the net, it is apparent to you that there are two modes of assault. The first, consists of a direct assault, generally conducted during daylight hours, against the enemy trench. L'assault, in general, is nearly frontal and can be conducted with the support of armored and armored vehicles, generally tasked with bringing men a short distance from the target and providing imposing covering fire in the approach stages.
Once out of the armored vehicles, the men - generally teams of 6 or 12 men - slowly advance toward the target, often shielding themselves by throwing a few hand grenades (usually three or four), so as to provide additional cover and hinder the other party's defensive actions.
Once a safe trench segment has been identified, the first men (usually a four-man team) enter the defensive system, thus beginning the cleaning operations. The rest of the team, on the other hand, is responsible for providing cover from the outside initially, lowering themselves into the trench later.
Once inside, the most complex phase begins. In the luckiest cases, especially when artillery and commercial drones armed with 40- or 60-mm grenades have done their job well, it is possible to find a trench already clear and secure, given the previous elimination or escape of defenders.
In the worst cases, however, resistance is fierce and it is necessary to fight at close range. In this case, it is only a mix of skill, training and luck to determine which side will come out on top, especially when immediate external support (audio communications and drone video aid) cannot be relied on.
The infiltration
The second mode of assaulting a trench line. is completely different from the former. Here, in fact, it does not rely on a frontal assault with the support of armored vehicles and tanks, but It all depends on the resourcefulness and skills of individual men. In this, the strikers - usually a team of 6 or 12 men - They aim to infiltrate a point sensitive of enemy lines, generally poorly manned or particularly exposed, With the subsequent goal of bypassing the fixed locations And seize the counterpart at the most opportune time.
For obvious reasons, infiltration actions can be conducted only in particular contexts, such as Areas with particularly dense vegetation, urban and semi-urban settings, or areas protected by minefields (thus considered impassable and poorly manned). Such actions, at least in the Ukrainian context, also often occur along the banks of the Dniepr, where teams cross the river in small boats.
Once the attacking team succeeds in infiltrating inside the enemy lines, it usually performs a brief reconnaissance of the entire area so as to identify the most sensitive points. Once the threat has been identified and it has been decided how to proceed, the offensive action begins, which can be conducted as early as from outside the trench with precise automatic weapons fire.
This is always followed by the dropping of hand grenades against the identified positions, so as to eliminate any possible threat there. Next, part of the team descends inside the trench so as to clear it completely, while the rest of the men remain outside to guard the ground and provide covering fire. Once inside, as in the previous case, the success of the operation rests with the individuals.
Issues and risks
Outside the trench
As easily guessed, the risks of conducting offensive actions against a well-defended and buried position are quite high. The first danger is, of course, that the assault team is detected in advance and, as a result, is exposed to artillery fire and the firing of the precise ATGM systems.
Then, there is the risk that the means - or the men themselves - end up inside a minefield., with all the possible human and material losses involved. In the event that the assault teams, by their respective means, succeed in reaching the vicinity of the objective, however, operational success is by no means guaranteed. In fact, at that point there is always the Risk of being exposed to enemy artillery fire., at the shooting of the automatic weapons e Of team and individual anti-tank weapons, widely available and easily deployable even from within a trench.
Once at the outer edge of the trench, the attacking team is still exposed to a number of hazards. As occasionally observed, the outer edges-and even some inner sections of the trench itself-may be mined or equipped with IEDs set up to slow and neutralize the enemy. Last, the risk of being constantly monitored from above and targeted by the precise launching of explosive munitions carried by typical repurposed commercial drones should never be forgotten.
Inside the trench
Once inside, the most delicate and complex phase begins for attackers. Trenches, often divided into segments and equipped with numerous shelters, bunkers, and individual emplacements, represent one of the worst environments in which to fight. The cramped space reduces movement, visibility is hampered by the shape of the trench, and every single meter could hide pitfalls.
Because of the conformation of the trenches, carefully designed to avoid enfilade firing, it is extremely difficult to - Unless there is audio-visual support from above - knowing what is nearby. Often, visibility does not exceed two meters, beyond which there is only the unknown. Therefore, at every corner and every junction there is a risk of being overwhelmed by the fire of the defenders, carefully arranged to protect the position.
Thus, the greatest danger is always from individual gun fire and hand grenades, which are widely used in this area. In addition, there is always the risk of finding oneself partially exposed to shooting Of artillery and mortars called in defense or by the precise action of drones armed with 40 or 60mm grenades. The greatest danger, once inside, is not weapons. In fact, in this specific context, it is the determination and psychology of the individual that makes the difference.
A soldier, should he be seized by a panic attack due to the tension of the moment, would risk finding himself unable to proceed with cleanup operations, exposing himself and the rest of the squad to countless risks.
Andrea De Poli
Class of 1996, he graduated in 2020 with a degree in linguistic sciences from the Catholic University of the
Sacro Cuore in Milan, later perfecting his studies in Strategic Affairs at LUISS in Rome.
He currently works for the family business group, devoting part of his free time to the
study of major armed, social and political conflicts of the twentieth century and the present day. Over the years, he has
intended special attention also to the entire social, political and economic environment of the Middle
East, Ukraine and North Africa. In 2021, he published "Hezbollah: History, Organization
and doctrine of the Party of God."
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