In the first world war how did the soldiers defend themselves from attack?

Question

In the first world war how did the soldiers defend themselves from attack?

Answer 1

The trenches were interconnected for mutual support and fronted by rows and rows of barbed wire.

They were defended by machine gun nests using interlocking fields of fire. In the movies, the machine guns point straight ahead and mow down the enemy. In reality, they're more effective firing diagonally across the field of fire. Hence the term "interlocking."

The majority of casualties were from artillery, and the trenches would offer only limited protection against indirect fire, so they had deep and reinforced underground bunkers into which they could escape during heavy artillery bombardments, but they of course had to get back out quickly into the trenches as soon as the bombardment ended, else they'd find enemy troops in their own trenches.

And then there were defensive artillery and personal weapons.

Answer 2

They fought in trenches. The soldiers would work in shifts so the field was covered 24/7. The trenches would stop the bullets from hitting them, but wouldn't stop a well aimed mortar.  

Answer 3

With trench warfare, rifles and most of all machine guns.

Answer 4

Trenches

Answer 5

They dug deep trenches (more than 20 ft in some places) and built caverns in the side of the walls in order to escape artillery fire.  They reinforced these dug outs with beems, concrete etc.  Soldiers often wore gas masks to avoid gas attacks.  The firing ramparts were often reinforced with steel around the firing positions in an effort to stop bullets and fragments.

Answer 6

Trench like everyone else above me said but more commonly, get down, play dead, hid benid a rock, a tree, or most importantly, SHOOT BACK.

Answer 7

I believe trenches

Answer 8

they would use their bayonetts to deflect bullets, much like jedis deflect laser bolts with thier light-sabers.