The First World War Part 3: Weapons of WWI A “New Kind of War” Adams 2009.
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Transcript of The First World War Part 3: Weapons of WWI A “New Kind of War” Adams 2009.
The First World WarThe First World War
Part 3: Weapons of WWIPart 3: Weapons of WWI
A “New Kind of War”A “New Kind of War”Adams 2009Adams 2009
Warfare in the TrenchesWarfare in the Trenches
Three years of Three years of miserymisery
Frightening dangerFrightening danger Horrifying death Horrifying death
tollstolls
A “new” kind of warA “new” kind of war
19151915 Germans Germans
introduced a new introduced a new weaponweapon
Chlorine gasChlorine gas Attacked eyes and Attacked eyes and
throatthroat
Chlorine GasChlorine Gas
Symptoms: Burning Symptoms: Burning pain in eyes, throatpain in eyes, throat
Sense of suffocation, Sense of suffocation, severe painsevere pain
Difficulty breathing, Difficulty breathing, coughingcoughing
Dry mouth, tongue Dry mouth, tongue covered by thick dry covered by thick dry furfur
Chlorine GasChlorine Gas
Severe headache, Severe headache, weakness in legs, lie weakness in legs, lie downdown
Face turns pale Face turns pale greenish yellowgreenish yellow
If continues to live, If continues to live, face turns bright red, face turns bright red, fingernails and ears fingernails and ears turn blueturn blue
Usually takes about 36 Usually takes about 36 - 48 hours to die- 48 hours to die
Chlorine GasChlorine Gas
Soldiers carried Soldiers carried gas masksgas masks
Invented by African Invented by African American, Garrett American, Garrett A. MorganA. Morgan
Poison GasPoison Gas
Came in assorted varietiesCame in assorted varietiesTear gas, chlorine gas (Germans)Tear gas, chlorine gas (Germans)White star gas (phosphine and White star gas (phosphine and
chlorine), mustard gas (France, chlorine), mustard gas (France, Britain)Britain)
Bromine and chloropicmin (less often Bromine and chloropicmin (less often used)used)
Chlorine, phosgene and mustard – Chlorine, phosgene and mustard – most often usedmost often used
Protections from gas attacksProtections from gas attacks
At first: wads of cotton pads dipped At first: wads of cotton pads dipped in bicarbonate of soda and held over in bicarbonate of soda and held over faceface
In emergency: urine soaked cloth In emergency: urine soaked cloth held over faceheld over face
Later, gas masksLater, gas masksUse of poison gas outlawed in 1925Use of poison gas outlawed in 1925Ban holds to todayBan holds to today
BayonetsBayonets
Used in close Used in close combatcombat
Different types Different types developed by developed by GermansGermans
Used in many waysUsed in many ways
FlamethrowersFlamethrowers
Used by Germans Used by Germans in early part of warin early part of war
Spread fire by Spread fire by launching burning launching burning fuelfuel
Lengthy tubes Lengthy tubes filled with sulphur, filled with sulphur, coalcoal
Launched by a Launched by a type of blow guntype of blow gun
GrenadesGrenades
Date back to the Date back to the 1515thth century century
Used to bomb Used to bomb trenches in WWItrenches in WWI
British developed British developed the hand grenadethe hand grenade
Could detonate Could detonate either by fuse or by either by fuse or by impactimpact
PistolsPistols
Different typesDifferent types Typically issued to Typically issued to
all officers, military all officers, military police, airmen, police, airmen, tank operatorstank operators
Better than a rifle Better than a rifle in cramped places in cramped places like airplanes and like airplanes and tankstanks
BayonetsBayonets
Toasting breadToasting bread Opening cansOpening cans Scrape mud off Scrape mud off
uniformuniform Dig the latrinesDig the latrines And, oh yeah:And, oh yeah: Kill othersKill others
1914: Machine Guns1914: Machine Guns
On a tripodOn a tripod Required crew of 4 Required crew of 4
to 6 soldiers to fireto 6 soldiers to fire Tendency to rapidly Tendency to rapidly
overheat – used overheat – used water to cool it offwater to cool it off
Jammed frequently, Jammed frequently, especially in hot especially in hot weatherweather
Machine GunsMachine Guns
By 1918, newer better versions usedBy 1918, newer better versions used One person gun usedOne person gun used Not entirely portable, very heavyNot entirely portable, very heavy Lighter ones designed later in warLighter ones designed later in war
RiflesRifles
Number one choice Number one choice of weaponof weapon
Weight of gun and Weight of gun and ammunition = ammunition = difficult to carry, usedifficult to carry, use
With training, very With training, very efficient to useefficient to use
Sniper’s friend, Sniper’s friend, especially in especially in trenchestrenches
TanksTanks
Many years in Many years in development, development, beginning in the 1700sbeginning in the 1700s
Caterpillar tracks help Caterpillar tracks help get through rough get through rough terrainterrain
Bullet-proof casingBullet-proof casing Revolving machine Revolving machine
guns attachedguns attached First called a “motor-First called a “motor-
war car”war car”
TanksTanks
First called “tank” in First called “tank” in 19151915
Designed forDesigned for Minimum speed 4 mphMinimum speed 4 mph Had to be able to Had to be able to
climb a five-foot high climb a five-foot high obstacleobstacle
Span a five-foot trenchSpan a five-foot trench Be immune to gunfire Be immune to gunfire
from outsidefrom outside
Trench MortarsTrench Mortars
Old weapon used Old weapon used in new way during in new way during WWIWWI
Short stubby tube Short stubby tube used to fire a used to fire a projectileprojectile
At a steep angleAt a steep angle So it falls directly So it falls directly
down on the down on the enemyenemy
Trench MortarsTrench Mortars
Soldiers strained Soldiers strained ears to listen for ears to listen for “plop” sound“plop” sound
Indicated that Indicated that enemy was firing enemy was firing mortarmortar
Quickly ran for Quickly ran for cover cover
Just made life in the trenches that much more Just made life in the trenches that much more interesting…interesting…
Next: The US enters the warNext: The US enters the war