Innovation of weapons during World War I

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Within World War I began a new age of warfare. As compared to previous engagements, the adoption of new weapons changed the way in World War I was fought. Not only did the concept of war change in terms of where battles were fought, how much revenue must be spent on the war and how much time a war could span; weapons changed. During the Indian Wars and War for independence, basic weapons were used. World War I began to become mobile. Use of planes, tanks and other technological advances had been implemented. The technological advances brought about were implemented within this war in an attempt to make the war last a shorter and to show prestige. Not only were mobile aerial and ground assets involved in war now, but other technology such as flamethrowers, machine guns and poisonous gas was also introduced. Among the many innovations of World War I, the machine gun was an addition. Depending upon the specific weapon system, machine guns were capable of firing more than six hundred bullets within one minute. Because of machine gun fire, Armies of the War’s participants sustained countless casualties and were forced to alter the way they fought. Prior to this alteration in strategy machine guns easily mowed down hundreds of enemies with one wave. Single shot rifles could not match the use of a machine gun placed in the right position. Strategists soon learned that machine guns could perform as well as sixty rifles, and when they were coupled together on the firing line they produced a decent defense. Aside from its mass casualty producing capability, the machine gun was also an asset because it was relatively small and tough for the opposing force to destroy. With the implementation of these various innovations during th... ... middle of paper ... ...ion and reorganisation of the Japanese chemical community. Ambix, 58(2), 136-149. doi:10.1179/174582311X13008456751107 Mortimer, G. (2013). Giving the machine gun wings. Aviation History, 23(6), 50-55. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=2e489df0-5604-49cf-8709-9359f8a1feee%40sessionmgr4003&vid=3&hid=4211 Pita, R. (2009). Toxin weapons: From World War I to jihadi terrorism. Toxin Reviews, 28(4), 219-237. doi:10.3109/1556950903246136 Wetta, F. J., & Novelli, M. A. (2008). Good bombing, bad bombing: Hollywood, air warfare, and morality in World War I and World War II. OAH Magazine of History, 22(4), 25-29. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=7&sid=3cae8a7b-8cc0-48c1-8da9-c02c8e8a6312%40sessionmgr110&hid=2 Wolff, L. (1958). In Flanders fields: The 1917 campaign. (1st ed.). New York, NY: The Viking Press

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