Nicolas DiScala History 415 Sept 11, 2011 World War 1: Technological Advancements Involving all of the worlds

greatest nations, World War 1 was considered to be one of the largest wars in world history. The reasoning behind the war was hard to determine because of the many events that took place during the beginning stages. However, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June of 1914 ultimately lead to the 4 years of chaos that pursued. The war consisted of over 70 million soldiers representing roughly 16 different nations. As a result, the outcome of the war was devastating with the fatality rate well above 5 million. The reason for such a large number of deaths was not only because of the mass involvement in the war, but was also the result of various technological advancements that were introduced throughout this Great War. Advancements in areas such as trench warfare, poison gas, light & heavy artillery, and air warfare were the main reasons for the large destructive outcome this war produced. World War 1 was one of the largest and most destructive wars in world history, strictly because of the technological advancements that were implemented in the war. Technological advancements in warfare are evolving everyday because it provides its creators with an advantage over their enemies. For instance, the use of trenches was thought be an advance military strategy that would be used to bring an end to the war quickly. However, trench warfare resulted in a stalemate dragging the war on for longer than anticipated. Roughly 200,000 men died in the trenches, most of which from disease because of the unsanitary conditions of these trenches. Considering that

trench warfare had created a stalemate throughout the war, further technological advancements in warfare were needed to produce a victor (Burg, 48), (Ellis, 21). The introduction of poison gas by the French in 1914 changed the way war was portrayed by the world. With the immense frustration due to the stalemate caused by trench warfare, the French decided to use gas as an alternative tactical weapon. Advancements in gas warfare was later discovered by the Germans who developed ways to produce more powerful and controlled poisonous gasses. These gasses were strictly used as weapons of mass destruction, wiping out thousands of soldiers at a time. As a result, protective devices in the form of a gas mask were developed to decrease the amount of destruction chemical warfare brought to the war. By the end of the war, poisonous gases were regular features of the Western battlefields and were considered to be the most feared technology (Burg, 57) (Neiberg, 91). Along with poisonous gasses, advancements in light and heavy artillery were rapidly evolving with the construction of weapons that possessed the ability to deliver mass destruction. After the stalemate on the Western front, it became standard to gather the largest number of heavy guns in an attempt to beat the opposing trench lines into submission. The machine gun was one of the most significant developments in weapon technology, deeply impacting the conclusion of World War 1. The advancement in weaponry, with the addition of the machine gun, made it possible for a few soldiers to do the work of about 50. Additionally, new bolt action rifles helped make soldiers capable of firing multiple rounds from a spring-loaded clip inserted into a rifle magazine. These advancements in light artillery resulted in the mass destruction produced from World War 1. However, advancements in heavy artillery would change the way war would be fought

forever (FirstWorldWar.com, Weapons of War). Although the concept of tanks dates back before World War 1, the stalemate caused by trench warfare lead these nations to develop this more advanced mechanical heavy artillery. The British invented the tank as a way to break the power of the defensive trench warfare and restore mobility in battle. The first tanks produced didnt seem to be as effective as they were forecasted to be, nevertheless, this lead to further technological advancement of the tank in the years to come. Even though tanks werent as effective during their debut, they did provide an army an advantage over their enemy. Due to the advancements in heavy artillery, the majority of casualties during the war were a result of artillery fire. (Keegan, 369) Technological advancements in World War 1 were extensive because of the vast amount of nations involved. Most advancement throughout WW1 impacted the outcome of war because of its ability to create mass destruction. One of the most innovative developments implemented in battle was the use of airplanes. When the war began the technology of flight was still in its beginning stages of development but under went significant and rapid improvement once proved to be extremely effective in war. Planes were used to achieve a clear view of an enemys position when first implemented. However, after much advancement planes soon became used in combat once forward firing weapons were installed. Although airplanes werent used for killing or immobilizing enemy forces until much later in history, they did provide militaries the ability to pinpoint an enemys location during WW1 (Burg, 77) (FirstWorldWar.com, War in the Air) (Neiberg, 172). In conclusion, WWI was one of the most destructive wars in world history largely

due to the technological advancements that were implemented in the war. The development of the machine gun and bolt-action rifle supplied soldiers with a quicker and more powerful form of weaponry. The discovery of poison gasses proved to be an effective form of mass destruction. Advancements in heavy artillery with the development of the tank, and newly discovered uses of airplanes in warfare all contributed to a drastic increase in the number of fatalities. Technological advancement in warfare is continuously evolving. As a result, it provides nations with more powerful ways to inflict mass destruction upon enemies, making war more and more deadly as we move into the future.

Bibliography

Burg, David F., and L. Edward Purcell. Almanac of World War I. Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 1998. Print. Ellis, John. Eye-deep in hell: trench warfare in World War I. New York: Pantheon Books, 1976. Print. "First World War.com - A Multimedia History of World War One." First World War.com - A Multimedia History of World War One. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2011. <http://www.firstworldwar.com/ Keegan, John. The First World War. New York: A. Knopf ;, 1999. Print. Neiberg, Michael S.. Fighting the Great War: a global history. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2005. Print.