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Essay / The role of new weapons in the First World War
During the First World War (WWI), various innovative weapons were used in combat. In an effort to gain superiority over their enemies, armies were forced to turn to newly developed combat technologies, some of which are still in use today. By deploying these innovative weapons, armies sought to gain the upper hand, the strength and efficiency essential to successful combat. Machine guns, gas, and tanks are some of the deadly recent developments of warfare that have had a significant effect on the outcome of many battles fought. Machine guns were so deadly because of their power and ability to cause serious damage in such a short time, gases for their psychological influence on soldiers as well as the soldiers' lack of familiarity with them, and tanks for the massive quantities of ammunition. damage they could cause. These weapons were among those which contributed most to the severity of the First World War on the Western Front. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay One of the reasons the new weapons were so effective was that they minimized the need for alternative weapons. For example, the introduction of machine guns reduced the need for regular rifles throughout battles, due to their effectiveness. They eliminated the ability to launch attacks, as they had the ability to fire 400 rounds per minute, which meant that a large number of enemies could be taken out in a short period of time. Before the use of machine guns, soldiers were only able to fire 15 rounds per minute. Modern technology was far superior to the weapons previously used. Machine guns were also used to distract enemy troops. While the machine gunners quickly eliminated the opposing forces, other soldiers managed to ambush the enemy lines. This strategy was used by the Germans during the Battle of Verdun against France. Before the war of 1908, the Germans introduced machine guns into their battles, capable of firing seven shots per second, while maintaining a range of two kilometers. This inspired a change in weaponry and tactics in all countries to try to adapt to these new developments. 75% of all deaths in the war were caused by artillery (Winter D, 1978), so the effect of high-powered firearms on World War I was extreme. World War I is often considered the first war fought with chemical weapons, which meant that armies faced unknown forces from within the enemy's ranks. Towards the start of the war, gases were incredibly useful, as they were unknown to almost all soldiers. However, when gas masks were deployed on the battlefield, their impact was greatly reduced. the physical damage was minimal, the gases had a huge psychological influence on the soldiers. They feared it because they had no way of knowing when they were being gassed, leading to random deaths at any time. The gases varied between chlorine, mustard gas, bromine and phosgene. Chlorine is a powerful irritant that prevents the functioning of the eyes, nose and respiratory tract. In extreme doses, mustard gas kills by blistering the throat and lungs until they close. after it was thrown away. Bromine corrodes human tissue while damaging the throat and eyes and is fatal. Phosgene. 2019