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Unfortunately, they were limited by the technology of the day - not the lack of mechanized forces, but the lack of portable radios. Charging across the no-man's land, while high in casualties, usually worked for getting an initial penetration of the other side's trench system, but without radio to coordinate reinforcements, artillery support, and a further exploitation of the breakthrough they would quickly fall to counterattacks. And then the bloodiest bit of the offensive, the initial breakthrough, would have to be repeated again.


Yeah i recall reading about how they would attempt to roll telegraph wire out as they advanced, only to have it snag on something or get cut by artillery blasts.


Yeah, even phone lines to established positions had to be buried to keep from getting cut by artillery bombardment.


I think it did relate to mobility and supply chains as well. But, yes, the bottom line is that costly long-planned breakthroughs invariably ended up getting bogged down.




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