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Tanks in World War II
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In World War I, tanks first appeared at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette in September 1916. It was the first time tanks had ever been used in a military conflict. Although most tanks in WWI could not exceed 4 miles per hour, they still played an extremely important role as they increased mobility on the Western Front and eventually broke the stalemate of trench warfare. Artillery and machine guns were particularly effective against the main form of offense: the infantry units. As a result, “the defense was stronger than just about anything that could be thrown against it, so much so that infantrymen spent most of their time cowering in trenches and bunkers” (Mizokami). When the infantry did attack, they would often surpass their supporting machine
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.
It is evident that WW1 soldiers were deeply impacted by the war. Historians have found numerous journals and diaries that tells personal experiences from soldiers. Especially since this was a war that had a lot of new inventions, these soldiers had a lot to write about. Trench warfare changed the war entirely. Generals had to come up with better fighting tactics to make advances during the war. Prior to WW1 battles were fought out in the open and with less protection. There was no barb wire or sandbags to protect these soldiers. Life in the trenches were rough with constant firing occurring every few seconds. This made it very difficult for them to rest. In the trench soldiers are active all day and have to be ready for combat at all times. The daily journal of Pvt. Donald Fraser gives great detail of what actually took place on the battlefield.
The stalemate on the Western front had developed by December 1914 because of the new advances in defensive weaponry where both sides had developed lethal weaponry like the machine guns and artillery, which subsequently led to trench warfare. The Machine Gun was a very dominant weapon in the First World War. It could kill hundreds of men a minute due to its rapid firing rate of 600 bullets a minute. However the machine guns that were used in the First World War weighed between 30kg – 60kg, would require a four to six operators and could heat up extremely quickly; clearly not very effective as a offensive weapon (Duffy, Michael. "Machine Guns.") Machine Guns were only effective for defense as they were extremely heavy, required a lot of ammunition a needed to be fixed into the ground. This made it severely difficult to attack and move with machine guns. Artillery was even deadlier as a defensive weapon and was one of the most important weapons of the First World War as it was the cause of the majority of human losses. The artillery ranged from field artillery to heavy and long range artillery that could fire long distances and would trap the enemies in their trenches. The Trench Mortar was also a very effective weapon in the war, which was a “tube” that would fire at a vertical angle (higher than 45 degrees) and could therefore be fired within the safety of the trench, unlike artillery. All these new advances in technology made trenches almost impossible to attack yet also kept each side trapped in their trenches.
Many weapons were developed for the sole cause of winning world war one. Empires had to push forward military technology to gain the upper hand in war. Many of these weapons were seen as cruel and unnecessary as they put soldiers through pain and agony before finally killing them. Although these weapons were notorious for how they were used, not many people know how important they were to drive the war forward. Although weapons were necessary to win the war, so were countermeasures. As new killing machines were invented, so was protection. Some examples of countermeasures are gas masks and anti-aircraft guns which are self-explanatory.
The. Johnson, David E. Fast Tanks and Heavy Bombers: Innovation in the U.S. Army, 1917-1945. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998. Print. The. "
Trench warfare had been used in past wars, but the Germans popularized this style during World War I. Germans sought to capture Paris, but faced the French at the Marne River on September 5, 1914. The French army had stopped the German advance and began to push them back (Torr, 30). The Germany army refused to give up gained territory so it dug into the ground to resist the French. Unknowingly, the Germans made the biggest mistake of the war. The trenches began to spread and soon became the predominant style of battle.
The year is 1942, and German U-boats are wreaking havoc on allied shipping to Britain; the vital lifeline which allows the island nation to survive. Unchallenged, they sink hundreds of the merchant vessels which carry the desperately needed food, arms, and other equipment that is necessary for Britain's survival. They are silent and deadly; undetected until it is too late. With a loud deafening blast, a torpedo impacts the center of a ship, breaking its back. The other ships try to run, as their crews search for the unseen attacker by the glow of the ship slipping under the water to her final resting place. Cries of terror pierce the sky, as a ghostly shadow is seen heading for the flagship. The ship rolls to the side as it turns as hard as it can. The torpedo misses, but a second blast pierces the sky, disabling the ship's rudder and propellers. Tracking the submarine with its sonar, a destroyer escort moves at full steam to counter the threat. Once over the spot where the submarine lurks, depth charges are shot over the railing, and they sink quietly in the water to bring the fight back to the concealed enemy. As each detonates, the water bulges over top of where they were dropped. Knowing when it has met its match, the German U-boat retreats and the battle is over until another day.
...also being used. 1st Division had done well supporting the troops by making ease of the passing of impassable obstacles. Though by the end of the first day, what tanks did not bog down in German trenches were now out of gas.
...ilities of the tanks being penetrated were slim. Also there was an addition of an anti-craft gun which made it even more powerful and unstoppable (Slayton 103).
World War I, also known as the First World War, was a global war centered in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. From the time of its occurrence until the approach of World War II, it was called simply the World War or the Great War, and thereafter the First World War or World War I. In America, it was initially called the European War. More than 9 million combatants were killed; a casualty rate exacerbated by the belligerents' technological and industrial sophistication, and tactical stalemate. It was one of the deadliest conflicts in history, paving the way for major political changes, including revolutions in many of the nations involved.
Blitzkrieg used speed and surprise along with highly concentrated tank corps, supported by mechanized infantry and airplanes. Warfare is 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.
Tanks being the huge hunk of metal they are seemed to be the answer to trench warfare. They were able to roll right over the barbed wire and were unstoppable against gunfire. Flamethrowers were used effectively first by German troops. They would burn enemy troops in the trenches and unlike grenades, flamethrowers wouldn't cause any damage to the structure so that the could still be used if needed.
William Shakespeare’s The Tempest was seen as his last act as a writer in England. Shakespeare released this play in the year 1611, which is also called the Renaissance period. Shakespeare is known for translating history and life experiences into his writing. During the Renaissance period many people were worried about appearance and social standards. During this time Ireland was taken the under control of England and the Irish were not seen as equals (Takaki 1). In the play there was a character that was seen as outsider and uncivilized, he was treated less than a human being and was seen as a monster.
The First World War introduced a new type of warfare. New weapons were combined with old strategies and tactics. Needless to say, the results were horrific. However, a new type of warfare was introduced: trench warfare. In the movie War Horse, the character that owned the horse originally while he worked on his farm, Albert Narracott, finally was old enough to join the army. His first sight of battle was the Battle of Somme which took place in France near the Somme River. During this battle, the British troops start out in trenches, which were pretty much tunnels dug strategically to avoid gunfire. The soldiers would wait until they were told to advance, and they would run from one trench to the next. Trenches and the area between trenches were muddy and the trenches themselves were poorly conditioned (http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/chapters/ch1_trench.html). Many of the soldiers who fought in trenches succumbed to a foot disease called trench foot and if not treated immediately, gangrene could infect the foot and an amputation would be necessary for survival. Commanding officers ordered one or t...
In this age, the world revolves around technology, but it hasn’t always been like this. The United States has taken many steps towards becoming what it is today. From radios to smartphones, and trains to cars, the nation depends on technological advances to help its people become more productive and make the lives of many people more easier and faster. The new ways to manufacture goods has improved vastly and has given everyone access to them. The new weapons and defenses have changed warfare from World War I to the modern day. Many technological advances, both in history and currently, have helped make the United States and the rest of the world a more productive, a more safe, and a more connected place to live in.