The Role of New Weapons in Ww1

Over the course of World War One (WW1), there was a variety of innovative weapons used in battle. In an effort to gain superiority over enemies, armies were forced to turn to newly developed combat technology — some that is still in use today. The deployment of these innovative weapons, armies sought to gain the upper hand, strength and efficiency vital for success in battle. Machine guns, gases and tanks were a few of the recent and lethal developments of the war that had a significant effect on the outcome of many battles fought. The machine guns were so deadly because of their power and ability to cause severe damage in such short periods of time, the gases for their psychological influence on soldiers as well as for the unfamiliarity soldiers had with them, and the tanks for the mass amounts of damage that they could cause. These weapons were some of the most significant in contributing to the severity of WW1 from the Western Front.

One reason why the new weapons were so effective was because they minimized the necessity for alternative weapons. For example, the introduction of machine guns reduced the need for regular rifles throughout battles, due to the efficiency of them. They eliminated the option of running attacks, as they had the ability to fire 400 rounds per minute which meant that large numbers of enemies could be taken out in short periods of time. Prior to the implementation of machine guns, soldiers were capable of firing only 15 rounds per minute. The modern technology was far superior to previously used weapons. Machine guns were also used as a distraction for enemy troops. Whilst machine gun shooters rapidly took down opposing forces, other soldiers were able to ambush enemy lines. This strategy was utilized by the Germans in the battle of Verdun against France.

Before the war in 1908, the Germans introduced machine guns into their battles, capable of firing seven rounds per second, whilst also maintaining a two-kilometer range. This inspired a change in weaponry and tactics from all countries in attempt to match these new developments. 75% of all fatalities of the war were caused by artillery (Winter D, 1978so that the effect of high-powered guns on WWI was extreme.

WW1 is often referred to as the first war fought with chemical weapons, which meant that armies were facing unfamiliar forces from enemy ranks. Towards the beginning of the war, gases were incredibly useful, as they were an unknown to almost all soldiers. However, when gas masks were implemented into the battlefield in response, it significantly decreased the impact of them. Although physical damage was minimal, gases had a giant psychological influence on soldiers. They feared it because they had no way of knowing at times when they were gassed, resulting in random deaths at any time. Gases varied between chlorine, mustard gas, bromine and phosgene. Chlorine is a strong irritant that obstructs the eyes, nose and airways from functioning. In extreme doses, chlorine causes asphyxiation. Mustard gas kills by blistering the throat and lungs until they close. The effects of mustard gas were hidden for up to 24 hours after it was thrown. Bromine corrodes human tissue whilst damaging the throat and eyes and is fatal. Phosgene creates fluid build-up in the lungs. Phosgene was responsible for 85% of gas related deaths in WWI. Each of these gases were incredibly deadly for different reasons.

In an attempt at defense against machine guns, soldiers dug trenches. In response to that, armies required powerful weapons that were able to destroy and pass trenches. The tank was developed to solve this issue. Tanks are heavy-armored battle vehicles that move on tracks. In 1916, the first ever tank was built, and designs improved as the war progressed. Eventually, the tank became a key element in success on battlefields due to its ability to completely destroy enemy defenses, like barbed wire and trench strategies. They could travel over varying surfaces, which became very useful when the Germans used new tanks during the battle of Somme. At this point, tank technology was still new and not very developed. So, during attacks tanks broke down and were unable to function. Although, a third of the tanks were still able to break through varying defenses that the French put up. Further along, the tanks became a vital part of basic battle tactics.

In conclusion, as seen from the essay, all these weapons a very significant impact on World War One, each for different reasons. The machine guns for their efficiency and innovativeness, the gases for their psychological impact, the tanks for their immense power and force. Many weapons were very significant to WW1, but these three weapons had the biggest effect on revolutionizing how armies fight battles today.

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