World War I was perhaps the greatest catalyst for military innovation in modern history. The speed in which the doctrinal, technical and tactical changes were developed and implemented was astounding. At the end of World War I, Britain was at the forefront of doctrinal and technological innovation in the field of armor and aircraft warfare. The factors which caused Britain to lose their innovative edge in these areas prior to World War II was the 10 year rule policy, operational attitude of the British Army, and an emphasis on land based aviation. At the conclusion of World War I, Britain had the largest navy in the world, a brand new Royal Air Force (RAF) and an army that had extended its technical, tactical and operational capabilities. Although the British military was strong, their economy was on the brink of collapse at the end of the war. The fiscal burdens of the rebuilding the economy required the British government to carefully consider their expenditures after the war. In 1919, it was decided for planning purposes the armed forces would not plan on fighting a major war for 10 years; the policy would be known as the 10 Year Policy. The policy reduced the military budget to funding levels lower than allocated in 1914. This reduced budget limited the size of the Armed Forces and supplied limited funds for the research and development of new equipment. This discouraged civilian companies in Britain from investing large sums of their capital into research and development for military products, because the British military did not have the funds to purchase equipment on a large scale. The policy was made permanent in 1928, with the result that each year the ten year clock would be reset... ... middle of paper ... ...essed on the internet at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers/themes/10-year-rule-disarmament.htm on 31 December 2014. Geoffrey Megargee The Army Before Last: British Military Policy 1919-1939 and Its Relevance for The U.S. Army Today accessed on the internet at http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA379001 on 31 December 2014. Williamson Murray and Allan R. Millett, Military Innovation in the Interwar Period,: Cambridge Press, 1996, 20 Ibid Ibid 22 Ibid 25 Ibid 26 Classroom discussion/lecture during H200 block of instruction by Mr. Edward Bowie Ibid Fort Leavenworth USACGSC, August 2011 US Army Command and General Staff College, H200 Military Innovation in Peace and War August 2011 page 85 Williamson Murray and Allan R. Millett, Military Innovation in the Interwar Period,: Cambridge Press, 1996, 195
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World War Warfare was one of the greatest examples of technological advancement and strategic challenge, with the introduction of inventions such as the aircraft and the tank the battlefield transformed from attrition as scene in the early years of the war to decisive by the end of the war.
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The first war to use significant technological advancement was World War I. Despite the introduction of trench warfare (in which troops dug bases many feet deep into the ground and fought only on the surface), the art of battle would forever be changed. There were many different types of weaponry advancements experienced in World War I. Machine guns were built twice more powerful than in the Civil War, firing up to 600 bullets a minute which was the equivalent of 250 riflemen. Artillery experienced a massive technological progression with the building of several thousands of powerful cannons with shells filled with ...
Warfare was in a state of transition. Older commanders and generals in the French and British militaries were very cavalry and infantry focused. These commanders believed that cavalry, infantry, and artillery would assure victory in any circumstance, against any foe. They clung to the static tactics of the bygone World War I era. World War I had been fought primarily on French soil, and the military as well as the government never wanted that to happen again, therefore they wanted to reinforce their main border against any future German. Little did they know that only twenty two years later they would be bested by German forces in a way that would shock the world. This research will be analyzing many important assumptions, oversights,...
Science fiction never ceases to amaze me as I take great enjoyment in exploring these creative universes. I have always had a great interest in military science fiction for its take on technological innovation and critical analysis. Military science fiction in general is very speculative about future of technology and warfare. The military science fiction genre also serves as a critique of contemporary politics as it deals with many of the same issues that go on today. This has made military science fiction one if the most well respected genres of science fiction for it ability to indirectly criticize modern society. My Integrated Project explores the relationship between how technology that has arisen from war has been some of the most innovative and why war has become an unshakeable aspect of human existence.
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