Five Unpleasant (And Disgusting) Facts About World War One

Grim details from the infamous conflict

An illustration of a World War One soldier by an unknown artist, 1917 (Wikimedia Commons)

The First World War is one of the most remarkable events in history.

It remains a prominent topic among history fans and frequently crops up in popular culture, with many countries continuing to honor and remember those who fought in the conflict.

But it’s not a topic for the fainthearted.

Soldiers on the frontlines suffered horrific deaths, and even those who managed to survive were left with traumatic memories of this devastating conflict.

1. Conditions in the Trenches Led to Infections and Disease

A photograph of a British trench in Northern France by Ernest Brooks, 1916 (Wikimedia Commons)

Trench warfare was a fundamental part of World War One. The Germans, having lost the Battle of the Marne in September 1914, retreated behind the River Aisne and built their trenches on higher and drier ground.

The Allies, on the other hand, weren’t so lucky. Trench foot, a fungal infection caused by cold and wet conditions, became a deadly problem inside ill-drained trenches, claiming tens of thousands of lives. Some infections…