Ww1 Technological Improvements

The First World War was a time of mass expenditure, mass production, and mass slaughter. With changes sweeping across Europe on a scale never before seen, the development of technologies was carried alongside; the need for technological improvements became paramount. The very nature of warfare was shifting, and the scramble to break the code of trench conflict led to some of the most important innovations in the history of war. The significance of a technological improvement is shown by the part it played in war, both at the time and in the future. Also, how deadly it was? How it affected the lives of soldiers? How it affected the outcome of the war? Through these questions, I will be looking at the tanks, aircraft, and machine guns of the First World War, and their importance. I believe that these innovations played a crucial part in determining the outcome of the war.

The machine gun was invented in 1881, with the German Maxim machine gun, able to fire 500 rounds per minute, equivalent to 100 rifles. However, the machine guns used at the start of the war were impractically heavy, needing at least two men to lift. This limited its offensive capabilities but in defence the gun was unstoppable.

The idea of an unstoppable hulk, “a kind of land battleship” , had long captured the public imagination. People envisaged this miraculous creation cruising through helpless enemies and ending the suffering and death forever. Despite this eager optimism, the first British Mark I tanks used in battle were slow and prone to mechanical failure. They were deployed in small numbers at the battle of the Somme and were largely ineffective. Out of the 49 tanks moved to the front line, only 32 were able to participate in the assault, and only nine managed to cross no man’s land. Despite their shortcomings, it was clear that this was a weapon that could change the face of