Trenches should be withdrawn from the stage of history.

Trenches should be withdrawn from the stage of history.

Trench is the product of modern war, and its appearance is accompanied by the large-scale application of machine guns and artillery. In the heyday of World War I, trenches became the positions, fortresses and residences of both sides, and became the most dependent combat readiness facilities for soldiers.

By World War II, the mechanization level of the battlefield was greatly improved, and the application of trenches was limited by the combat forms and tactics such as long-range firepower, armored penetration and circuitous penetration. The situation of fighting between opposing sides across trenches is much less, but trenches are still an important place for defense, rest and storage of materials. Soviet soldiers stubbornly stopped Stalingrad's dominant German army by relying on trenches and other field fortifications and won a tragic victory.

Since then, with the rapid development of military technology and weapons and equipment, various precision-guided weapons have gradually matured, mechanical equipment and missile weapons have been widely used, long-range strikes have become increasingly accurate, team firepower has been continuously improved, and the battlefield has shown new characteristics of informationization, precision, three-dimensional and non-contact. The traditional tactics of relying on trench stalemate and infantry propulsion have gradually lost their applicable environment.

In the last 30 years, the Gulf War and the Iraq War, even a large-scale ground war did not happen. At the same time of the war, the revolutionary breakthrough of modern ammunition technology made it impossible for soldiers hiding in deep underground and circuitous fortifications to avoid the impact of earth-penetrating bombs and thermobaric bombs. The dominant party has achieved its action goal.

Moreover, there are many kinds of battlefield protective gear for modern soldiers, and their performance has also made great progress, which has a good defense effect on shell fragments and shock waves. So many people think that the traditional moat has lost its place and can quit the historical stage. Based on the analysis of reality, the importance of trenches to modern warfare has indeed been greatly reduced, but it cannot be considered that trenches can completely leave the battlefield stage, and they still continue to play an important role in various forms in the war.

Although the wide use of various precision-guided weapons has greatly weakened the protective function of trenches, trenches or individual bunkers are still the most direct and effective means to defend against explosion shock waves and direct ammunition. After all, no matter how the form of war changes, the basic principle of conventional battlefield killing is still explosive fragments, shock waves or bullet hits.

Although protective equipment such as body armor can reduce fire damage, the protective ability of trenches, sandbags or individual bunkers is much stronger than that of individual protective equipment. American troops in Afghanistan have dug many trenches, although many of them are knee-high simple tunnels, but they have effectively reduced the casualties of American troops. In order to fight against Russia, the Ukrainian army has also prepared a large number of frontline trenches.

In addition, high-value guided weapons are generally used to attack strong fortifications and military centers. , and will not be easily used against ordinary soldiers; And opponents like armed bandits and terrorist organizations don't even have decent heavy firepower. To fight against such an opponent, it is often necessary to go through the traditional ground fire process. At this time, ordinary trenches can play a key protective role.

According to the experience of the US military in plains and desert areas such as Afghanistan, trenches or individual bunkers can not only provide temporary rest places, but also store ammunition, food and drinking water, which is equivalent to temporary camps. The trenches at the front of the battle can be well integrated into the surrounding environment, and can be used as a position to monitor and counterattack the enemy while protecting themselves.

At present, although there will be no large-scale war in the international community for a while, regional disputes are still frequent. There are a large number of trenches, tunnels, bunkers and other facilities in East Asia Peninsula, China-India border and India-Pakistan border. These structures are complex and solid, and they are the supporting positions for attack or defense in border areas.

Due to the change of trench function and combat style, the shape of trenches has changed greatly now. There are few trenches with complicated structures like in the past, and American trenches even dig to the depth of knees.

Many troops are also equipped with excavation artifacts, such as mechanical excavation vehicles, which greatly improve the excavation efficiency compared with manual work; There is also a special bunker blaster, who can dig a single pit quickly by using shaped charge. Countries such as the United States and Europe have begun to use explosion-proof walls to build fortifications. This explosion-proof wall is composed of a lattice hollow mold composed of galvanized steel wire mesh and polypropylene, and filled with sand and gravel, which is not only convenient to use, but also has a very prominent defense effect.

As the leader of infantry tactical skills, the PLA also has mature experience in the use of trenches, leaving successful examples of cat's ear holes and anti-gun holes. Thanks to the application of advanced equipment such as trench excavators, bunker blasters and explosion-proof walls, the PLA's ability to quickly build trenches and bunkers is also constantly improving, and it has built a steel position that adheres to defense and counterattack operations.