1. How did new weapons affect the war?
Weapons of World War I
How did new weapons affect the war?

2. New Use of Technology
Fighting in WW I was like no other war in world history
The war featured “traditional” weapons of war like artillery cannons, grenade launchers & trench mortars
However, new technology created more efficient weapons that had a purpose to inflict a maximum amount of casualties

3. The Machine Gun
Invented by Hiram Maxim for German Army, but used by all sides
Fired ammunition automatically
Most commonly used during trench warfare
Advantage: Take out waves of attackers, hard for troops to advance
Disadvantage: Heavy, hot, main reason for bloody stalemates

4. Disadvantages: Very slow, hot & cramped
The Tank
Using ideas from Frederick Simms, Ernest Swinton of the British army developed an armored combat vehicle
Moved on caterpillar-like chain tracks, could cross all types of terrain
Advantages: major firepower including several machine guns and sometimes a cannon, hard to disable
Disadvantages: Very slow, hot & cramped
Discuss: Do you think the tank was an effective weapon?

5. The U-Boat (Submarine)
Developed by and used almost exclusively by the Germans
Was a warship that could dive underwater
U-Boats used an underwater missile called a torpedo to destroy ships
Advantages: Very hard to see or detect (sneak attacks)
Disadvantages: cramped conditions & leaks

6. Attacks could now come from the sky Dropped bombs or shot at targets
Aviation – Airplanes
Attacks could now come from the sky
Dropped bombs or shot at targets
Bombers had 2 seats & Fighters had 1 seat
Advantages: Quick & agile
Disadvantages: little room & flimsy
Aviation – Zeppelins “Death From Above”
Developed in Germany, they were used to drop bombs
Advantages: could carry more bombs, men, equipment and their size made them intimidating
Disadvantages: not agile, big target

7. Battle of the Skies During World War I
Discuss: Do you think the Zeppelin was an effective weapon?
Describe how planes are used as a weapon and where did some pilots crash?
Why do you think the Zeppelin was so intimidating and how did the Allies destroy one?

8. Poison Gas
French first to used tear gas to disable an enemy
Later, Germans develop mustard gas & ammonia based poison gas
Because Germany used it, Allies start using it as well
Advantage: fairly undetectable, enemy doesn’t see it coming
Disadvantage: seen as a very unethical weapon causing blindness, choking, blisters, death, banned after WW I

9. Nearly 90K of the 9.7 million killed-in-action were due to poison gas
Country
Total KIAs
Gas Deaths
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
Discuss: Who suffered the most from poison gas and why?