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What was No Man's Land during World War I?
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World War I
A British soldier inside a trench on the Western Front during World War I, 1914–18.
During World War I, "No Man's Land" referred to the unoccupied, dangerous territory situated between the opposing trench systems of the Western Front.12
This area was characterized by a desolate, muddy landscape, stripped of all vegetation and habitation by relentless artillery fire. Because the widespread use of machine guns and rapid-firing artillery made any exposed soldier highly vulnerable, armies were forced to dig into the earth for protection. Consequently, military assaults were carried out by crossing this hazardous space between the lines. It was often protected by deep tangles of barbed wire, making it a virtually impassable desert where soldiers faced extreme peril during combat operations.312