Kylie Masshardt Essays (496 words) - Military History By Country

Kylie Masshardt Essays (496 words) - Military History By Country Kylie Masshardt 3rd period March 27,2016 World War 1 Weaponry Between July 28 of 1914 to November 11 of 1918 a four-year world war broke out around the globe. With more than 15 participating nations and empires, many advancements in various fields were inevitable. There were many contributing factors as to why the war broke out, but one aspect that is often placed aside is the importance of the weapons utilized during the war. There were hundreds of weapons that made an appearance in the war, some of which include: poison gas, tanks, and machine guns. How these three specific weapons played a role in the war varies from each weapon and nation using them. April of 1915, the Germans introduced poison gas at the second battle of Ypres. Chlorine was the first gas used, killing hundreds of French troops. As the war progressed so did the usage of poison gas. Beginning as only chlorine, many gases began making their way onto the battle field. Introduced a few years later was phosgene and mustard gas, which blinded those who came in contact with it. By the year 1917 poison gas could be delivered with better accuracy with the use of chemical shells and mortars. By the end of the war there was an estimated of one million casualties due to poison gas. In addition to poison gas, tanks, or "land battleships," were introduced in the first world war. At the orders of Winston Churchill on September 1916, the tank would make its first appearance in the war. Initially, the tank was built with the intent of being indestructible to the machine gun fire, and their tracks would be able to cross rugged terrain, trenches, as well as barbed-wire. Although the tanks weekend enemy morals, they had faults. The tanks were slow and endured many mechanical problems. As stated by Mr.Bronsnan,"[] tanks were more reliable and available to British forces in greater number." Lastly, the machine. The machine gun wasn't a new weapon though. American, Hiram Maxim, had invented the gun that bore his name in 1884 but it was later altered and refined and made easier to carry. Making it more reliable and even deadlier across the expanses of "no man land" that separated the two sides on the Western Front. Germany also endured a type of machine gun, the Maschinegewehr 08. It had been based on the Maxim gun, it could fire 400 hundred rounds a single minute. The machine gun allowed for a faster more efficient war to be fought. In conclusion, many weapons had been introduced or utilized during the first world war. These weapons allowed for certain advantages and progressions in future weaponry. There were hundreds of weapons that made an appearance in the war, some of which include: poison gas, tanks, and machine guns. How these three specific weapons played a role in the war varies from each weapon and nation using them.