New Weapons in World War I

World War I has been called the “first modern war” because it saw the introduction of MANY new and devastating weapons.

WEAPON #1: Trench warfare

WEAPON #1: Trench warfare ●Throughout much of the war, Allied troops and Germany fought each other from trenches—or large holes in the ground.

WEAPON #1: Trench warfare ●Throughout much of the war, Allied troops and Germany fought each other from trenches—or large holes in the ground. ●Soldiers would dig holes and lay barbed wire on top of them.

WEAPON #1: Trench warfare ●Throughout much of the war, Allied troops and Germany fought each other from trenches—or large holes in the ground. ●Soldiers would dig holes and lay barbed wire on top of them. ●Both sides would fire weapons into the other sides’ trenches. Because each side was underground, they could not escape the fire, and many, many, many men lost their lives.

●However, neither side was usually able to capture the other side’s trench.

●However, neither side was usually able to capture the other side’s trench. ● For most of the war, Allies and the Germans sat in their trenches, firing their weapons and killing each other without making any progress.

WEAPON #2: MUSTARD GAS

WEAPON #2: MUSTARD GAS ●In 1917, the German army began using bombs filled with mustard gas against the Allies.

WEAPON #1: MUSTARD GAS ●Blisters all over the body ●In 1917, the German army began using bombs filled with mustard gas against the Allies. ●The poisonous gas causes the following: ●Blisters all over the body ●Damage to the lungs ●Temporary or permanent blindness.

Many American (and Allied) soldiers were killed or injured by mustard gas.

WEAPON #3: MACHINE GUNS ●The British Army introduced machine guns in World War I and shared them with their French and American allies.

WEAPON #3: MACHINE GUNS ●The British Army introduced machine guns in World War I and shared them with their French and American allies. ●For the first time, soldiers could fire hundreds of bullets at a time without reloading.

WEAPON #3: MACHINE GUNS ●The British Army introduced machine guns in World War I and shared them with their French and American allies. ● For the first time, soldiers could fire hundreds of bullets at a time without reloading. ● The German Army soon developed its own machine gun, so both sides had them.

More bullets fired into the trenches meant more dead soldiers…always.

WEAPON #4: Submarines

WEAPON #4: Submarines ●During World War I, the German Navy used submarines for the first time.

WEAPON #4: Submarines ●During World War I, the German Navy used submarines for the first time. ●Submarines could go underwater and sink any other ship—military or regular—without warning.

The constant threat of submarines made people riding on ships afraid to cross the seas.

WEAPON #5: Airplanes World War I was the first armed conflict in which airplanes played a major role.  When the war began, it was fought largely between ground forces, but as it progressed, the airplane began playing a larger and larger role.  As the Allies amassed great air strength, they so ably disrupted  German ground forces that the war quickly came to an end.