1. Weapons of World War I – Part Two
Other weapons being used during WWI were considered unconventional
These weapons were designed to not only kill but to inflict serious pain
Some were considered unfair or unethical
Many were also very dangerous for the person using the weapon

2. # 6 The Flame Thrower
Was first used by the Germans but used later by British & French
Spreads fire by launching burning fuel
A cylinder containing the device & fuel was carried on your back
Advantage: could easily destroy large amounts of territory
Disadvantage: unethical to burn people alive, very dangerous to the person carrying the device if it explodes

3. #7 Grenade Launchers
Developed by the French, it was a handheld device that could launch grenades a long distance
At first, they were sort of like a sling shot
Later, they could be fired out of an air rifle
Advantage: launched grenades further than a person could throw
Disadvantage: could fall off sling shot or get stuck in rifle and blow up

4. #8 Trench Mortars
A mortar is a short, wide tube that fires a missile/bomb at a steep angle so that it falls straight down on the enemy – like an cannon pointed up
Germans used this weapons at first much to the surprise of the Allies
Advantage: could be fired from inside the trench, took out machine gun posts, destroyed trenches
Disadvantage: hard to aim, could explode inside trench

5. #9 Poison Gas
The French were the first to use tear gas to disable an enemy
Later, Germany develops mustard gas and ammonia based poison gas
Germany widely used poison gas against allied troops. Later both sides use poison gas as a weapon
Soldiers and animals would need to use gas masks – some don’t work well
Gas caused choking, blindness, severe blisters and death
Advantage: fairly undetectable, enemy doesn’t see it coming
Disadvantage: seen as a very unethical weapon. Treaties were signed after WWI that bans poison gas warfare

6. Nearly 90,000 of the 9.7 million casualties were due to poison gas
Country
Total Casualties
Gas Death
Austria-Hungary
1.2 million
3,000
British Empire
908,371
8,109
France
1.4 million
8,000
Germany
1.8 million
9,000
Italy
650,000
4,627
Russia
1.7 million
56,000
USA
116,708
1,462
Ottoman Empire
800,000
1,000