Question

What was the impact of machine guns on trench warfare?

The guns made it easier for troops to gain ground rapidly and fearlessly by crossing trenches.
The guns made trenches unnecessary because troops were always on the attack.
The guns made it hard for troops to survive a scramble over the trenches without being shot.
The guns made trenches more essential than ever, as trenches were a temporary escape from danger.

Answer 1

Correct answers: 3 and 4.

Explanation: Rapid-firing machine guns made crossing open ground (no-man’s-land) extremely deadly, so attacks were costly and hard to survive (3). That defensive firepower is exactly why trench systems became central to protection and produced the static, attritional warfare of WWI (4). Options 1 and 2 are incorrect.