THE NATURE OF WORLD WAR 1 'The military mind always imagines that the next war will be on the same lines as the last. That has never been the case and never will be.' (Foch, 1926) No one had expected the First World War to become the "War to end all wars" as it was hailed at its conclusion. The gen eral consensus in early 1914 was that it would all be over by Christmas of that year. This predictio n, however, could not have been more flawed. The introduction of modernised battle techniques and st rategies such as trench warfare, the use of poison gas, and machine guns meant that the ideologies, concepts and tactical approaches to war had been radically altered from warfare in the past. Consequ ently, these technological advances had brought more bloodshed, destruction and immense human cost t han any event in the history of mankind. Instead of a swift, decisive victories or defeats, the batt les on every front stagnated into trench warfare, neither side able to penetrate the defensive barra ges of the other. World War One lasted until November 1918, and through its course caused colossal d amage to many counties economically, socially and politically. By the time it was over, the unanimou s opinion around the world was a resounding 'never again'. A dangerous tactic that evolved during W orld War 1 was the use of poisonous gases. Various gases were put to use during The First World War 1 including the likes of asphyxiating (suffocating), lachrymatory (causes weeping) and vesicant (bli stering) gas. One of the more widely used gases was the mustard gas which when used by the Germans i n 1917 caused 20 000 British casualties in 6 weeks. The gases could be delivered in two ways. One m ethod was for the gas to be released from a cylinder to be blown by the wind to cover the enemy's tr ench system. The other method was for the gas to be released from an exploding shell. It was critica l in both these situations that the wind direction was perfect.. If the wind direction was miscalcul ated the gas would be blown towards friendly troops, often causing more casualties in ones own trenc h than the enemy. The invention of the machine gun was one of the most important advances in milita ry technology. The rapid and continuous gunfire from machine guns during the First World War require d military leaders to totally rethink battlefield tactics that had been used for hundreds of years. The first truly automatic machine gun was invented by Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim. He also developed a w ater cooling system to allow his gun to fire continuously without overheating. Maxim guns were built in many sizes and used extensively during World War 1. In all trenches machine gun posts were estab lished so they would provide interlocking arcs of fire. The ground over which the advancing enemy wo uld move could be swept by machine gun bullets. This created an inactive battlefield where both side s where hesitant to venture out beyond their trenches lest they be mown down by the machine guns. W orld War One saw the introduction of trench warfare as a primary tactical strategy. Soldiers would d ig out a network of trenches along the ground in order to get highly defensive and secure positions. Trench warfare to the soldiers was a complete horror. Soldiers in trenches had to put up with mud, dampness, cold food (usually canned),, noise, rice, lice, constant fear, dirt, diseases, pain, death , smell, constant alerts, loss of friends, wounds and many other horrible things They were also in constant danger from artillery, snipers and mortars. Life was a constant turmoil in the trenches. At the conclusion of the war in 1918, casualties amounted to more than 37 million people. The estima ted cost of the war was about 186 billion dollars. Although the war and gunfire had ceased in 1918 t here was not one nation on earth that had in mind the notion to wage war, times soon changed yet aga in, bringing with them further advances, new weapons and new methods of killing people by the thousa nds. In 1939, World War Two had begun, and proved to be even more costly than its previous incarnati on, with the greatest toll being on the civilians. It seems people never change, but their ways of k illing each other never cease development. nature world military mind always imagines that next wil l same lines last that never been case never will foch expected first world become wars hailed concl usion general consensus early that would over christmas year this prediction however could have been more flawed introduction modernised battle techniques strategies such trench warfare poison machine guns meant ideologies concepts tactical approaches been radically altered from warfare past consequ ently these technological advances brought more bloodshed destruction immense human cost than event history mankind instead swift decisive victories defeats battles every front stagnated into trench w arfare neither side able penetrate defensive barrages other world lasted until november through cour se caused colossal damage many counties economically socially politically time over unanimous opinio n around resounding never again dangerous tactic evolved during poisonous gases various gases were d uring first including likes asphyxiating suffocating lachrymatory causes weeping vesicant blistering more widely used gases mustard which when used germans caused british casualties weeks could delive red ways method released from cylinder blown wind cover enemy trench system other method released fr om exploding shell critical both these situations wind direction perfect wind direction miscalculate d would blown towards friendly troops often causing casualties ones than enemy invention machine mos t important advances military technology rapid continuous gunfire machine guns during first required military leaders totally rethink battlefield tactics used hundreds years truly automatic invented h iram stevens maxim also developed water cooling system allow fire continuously without overheating m axim guns were built many sizes extensively trenches posts were established they would provide inter locking arcs fire ground over which advancing enemy move could swept bullets this created inactive b attlefield where both sides where hesitant venture beyond their trenches lest they mown down introdu ction primary tactical strategy soldiers network trenches along ground order highly defensive secure positions soldiers complete horror soldiers with dampness cold food usually canned noise rice lice constant fear dirt diseases pain death smell constant alerts loss friends wounds many other horrible things they also constant danger artillery snipers mortars life turmoil conclusion casualties amoun ted than million people estimated cost about billion dollars although gunfire ceased there nation ea rth mind notion wage times soon changed again bringing with them further advances weapons methods ki lling people thousands begun proved even costly previous incarnation with greatest toll being civili ans seems people change their ways killing each cease developmentEssay, essays, termpaper, term pape
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