Studied by 1 person
Technological developments: land, naval, air warfare
War on land
fighting took place on several fronts but the WESTERN FRONT most important:
operational theatre of war (entire 320km used as a continuous battlefield because of size + length of time)
attacks continuous + failure to break deadlock
key role in outcome- other fronts were created to break THIS WESTERN FRONT deadlock
tech developments LAND
MANY new tech created to try break deadlock:
machine guns
grenades
heavy artillery
chemical warfare
tanks
machine guns (Br) + grenades (Br&Ger)
far more lethal, required less accuracy
grenades
heavy artillery
responsible for 70% of casualties
Commanders saw artillery as key to overcoming enemy defences; every major attack was preceded by a prolonged artillery barrage.
REALITY: inaccurate, ineffective to destroy trenches COMPLETELY,
Gave enemy warning- time to prep defense
CHURNED UP LAND- harder for soldiers to attack
What was an example of artillery not being effective in breaking the deadlock?
The Battle of the Somme
Br fired 1.5 million shells in 5 days- still failed to cut the barbed wire or destroy German trenches
Did artillery evolve?
Yes- signals could be covered- surprise enemy
chemical warfare
useful for causing panic
mustard gas most dangerous
DIDNT PLAY ANY KEY ROLE IN BREAKING STALEMATE
Gas can blow back from wind, gas masks developed- EVEN LESS EFFECTIVE
What was an example of chemical warfare used in the war?
The Battle of Ypres- Ger April 1915
tanks
tanks effective except for their slowness + unreliability
conditions inside tanks almost fatal
When were tanks first used?
By British and French in the Battle of the Somme
What was the impact of the technological developments on land in the outcome of the war?
allowed for changed improved battle tactics
played a role in final success of allies advance in 1918- allies’ ‘Hundred day offensive’ utilised all tech + strategic developments on land- helped allies strategy, combined with German internal unrest + central powers’ exhaustion of resources- ALLIED VICTORY
War at sea
control of seas crucial to both sides
Britain needed to be able to transport men (from far places too) and supplies to the battlefields of Europe and Middle East.
Britain is an island- depends on food + industrial supplies from other countries- SURVIVAL
Ger needed food + supplies overseas too
CONTROL OF TRADE ROUTES- for both sides + to stop enemies getting supplies
For majority of war- allies able to sustain blockade on Ger + transport supplies
mines and submarines
Ger tried to enforce blockade of Royal Navy with U-Boats
U-boats: submarines
Submarines + torpedos threatened allies
Germans wanted to use U-boats whilst keeping america out of war, launched unrestricted submarine warfare trying to starve Br + Fr before US intervention
U-Boat blockade
attacked unarmed merchant ships
u-boats less successful as US output helped allies
tech progressed + could detect u-boats
Battle of Jutland
Ger failure to lure Br boats out for an attack
Br deciphered signals
War in air
major tech leaps: aircraft as military weapons
airships, bombs, civilian targets
Ger zeppelins replaced with Gotha
Br responded with RFCs
Civilian attacks from air popular
aircraft
speed + mobility
photographs taken for detecting enemy bases
communication made possible by aerial wireless between air and ground
aerial ‘dog-fights’ developed- shooting via plane propellers
control of skies became essential for victory
politicians realised bombing civilians could greatly decrease enemy morale
