Ranked, it was always said that the Germans had the best trenches, the British were so-so, and the French almost literally wallowed in their own shit. and the americans, when they did use them (the Marines were famous for disdaining them in Belleau Wood), typically took up the ones that were already there made by those who already dug them.
As far as I've read the Germans had the best systems because early in the war the invaded into France and Belgium. During the early war frontline trenches were dug and rather shoddy on both sides but both sides implemented defense in depth tactics towards the later war. During subsequent allied offensives in 17 and 18 the allies were occupying german frontline trenches they captueed whereas germans were retreating into more and more complex trench and bunker systems they had built up over the years.
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As far as late war goes most frontlines battles weren't fought trench to trench anymore. More like crater/artillery hole to crater/artillery hole as so artillery had become too acurate to make new trenches and artillery had pounded the earth so much most armies gave up redigging them as the front moved so much.
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And then you have the Americans. The Americans, exacerbated by Pershing and his military philosophy, held very similar beliefs to that of the early belligerents.
American doctrine followed similar footsteps that French doctrine followed at the beginning. The bayonet and cran (guts/courage). They believed all that was needed to win were swift offensives, open warfare, and wave tatics. The French and British tried to dissuade Pershing from persuing this doctrine as they had learned themselves that it gained very little at the expense of many lives.
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I highly reccomend anyone who has an interest in ww1 look into Dan Carlins series Hardcore History on the subject (Blueprint for Armageddon) and i have a couple book recommendations for anyone interested in reading. The one i would recommend the most to understand US military theory of the time is "Pershings Lieutenants American military leadership in WW1" edited by David T. Zabecki and Douglas V. Mastrano.
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As far as late war goes most frontlines battles weren't fought trench to trench anymore. More like crater/artillery hole to crater/artillery hole as so artillery had become too acurate to make new trenches and artillery had pounded the earth so much most armies gave up redigging them as the front moved so much.
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And then you have the Americans. The Americans, exacerbated by Pershing and his military philosophy, held very similar beliefs to that of the early belligerents.
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I highly reccomend anyone who has an interest in ww1 look into Dan Carlins series Hardcore History on the subject (Blueprint for Armageddon) and i have a couple book recommendations for anyone interested in reading. The one i would recommend the most to understand US military theory of the time is "Pershings Lieutenants American military leadership in WW1" edited by David T. Zabecki and Douglas V. Mastrano.