1900s Weaponry and Transport Flashcards
(6 cards)
Describe the nature of weaponry in the 1900s
All firearms were rifled within, and firearms had developed fully further from the Lee Enfield Rifle of the late industrial period. Machine guns and heavy guns and heavy weaponry developed and used commonly now on the battlefront.
How did infantry weaponry create a stalemate on the battlefields?
Whilst machine guns and the now, fully functioning, mass production of rifles and advanced pistols seemed to be developing armies -it only caused for stalemates. The ‘war of attrition’ caused by both sides having the same types of advancement in weaponry meant that the war efforts could not be advanced as the same firepower was met with the same firepower and tactics in trench warfare struggled greatly.
Define ‘war of attrition’
Each side of a war, during a prolonged period, gradually tries to break down the other side or wear down the enemy little by little.
What was the nature of transport in the 1900s wars?
The cavalry had, finally, no purpose on the battlefield and where no longer deployed after the first months of WWI.
Tanks however had been developed, and were used heavily over the 1900’s, and helped to break stalemates - but only when tanks were used against infantry. Tank on tank warfare was a devastating stalemate.
Aircraft warfare dominates battlefield stalemate breaking tactics in 1944 onwards.
What was the Blitzkrieg? (Aka. Lightening war)
A nazi field tactic, where they used modern technology to their disposal to hit the enemy hard in a first strike. The use of radio, surveillance and other communications was crucial in the execution of a blitzkrieg attack where tanks would flank and then crush enemy lines quickly and effectively.
How was transport a key change to wars?
The transport if supplies and soldiers was rapid, giving troops less time to prepare for a fast deployment attack or reinforcement from behind their enemy lines. For example, Germany moved 2 million troops in a short amount of time into France.
