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Weapons In The Great War Essay

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The Great War has ended, as major foreign dignitaries from around the world have signed the Treaty of Versailles. This tragedy led to about 8.5 million soldier deaths in a mere four years. This meant that on average, about 5820 military combatants died every day. What led to this horrific tragedy? One aspect of the staggering casualty number is military innovations and outdated tactics. Arguably the most destructive weapon of all time, the Maxim machine gun led to the trench warfare stalemate. During the age of our nation’s expansion into the dark continent, the Maxim gun guaranteed the success during our conquest. To quote Hilaire Belloc, historian and president of the Oxford Union, “Whatever happens we have got, the Maxim gun and …show more content…

During the late phase of the war, the development of tanks help to break the Western Front stalemate and provide some mobility across the Front. Although regarded with suspicion, the tank proved to be influential after the French improved and manufactured their own tanks. The development of tanks became so influential that General Philippe Pétain stated “ We must wait for the tanks and the Americans” while discussing plans for a major offensive in 1917. Another powerful innovation in the Great War were aeroplanes. Originally used for scouting, aeroplanes soon became a powerful killing machine. Our Sopwith Camels were originally used to scout enemy territory, but advantage provided by avian surveillance led to avian warfare. Even when the risks of avian war was publicized, there were no shortage of volunteers because of the horrors of trench warfare,

While the machine gun decimated regiments, one of the most horrific fears of the common soldier was gas. Attacks of gas were usually used to force soldiers out of trenches and to the plain. Even though the Maxim gun killed more people, it allowed a quick and easy death. The effects of gas was much more tragic.When a soldier inhaled gas, the immediate effects caused respiratory pain, and led to asphyxiation after 36 hours. The pain of slow asphyxiation was so terrible that many soldiers conducted mercy deaths for

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