Technological Advancements of World War !

Advancements in technology and science contributed to one the most gory and bloodiest war in the annals of human existence. These new technological advancements revolutionized how people regarded war. War was no longer where the opposite forces fought in a coordinated battle. War evolved into game of cunning strategy where the side with the bigger, powerful, and smarter toys played better. This led to a fierce competition where each side tried to create the smarter machines and better weapons, leading to deadly mass killing weapons in the process. One weapon or machine was created and an even better one was made. New developments such as machine guns, poison gas, tanks, and new strategy to thwart trench warfare affected how WWI was fought and it came with catastrophic results.

Poison gas was perhaps the most feared weapon out of all. Created to overcome the long stalemate style of trench warfare, its purpose was to draw out soldiers hiding in the trenches. One side would throw the poison gas into the enemy trenches and they would either wait for their enemy to come out into open fire or perish in the trenches. The first poison gas used in battle was chlorine at the start of the Second Battle of Ypres on April 22, 1915 by the Germans. Shortly after, followed the phosgene. The effects of these gases were ghastly. Chlorine was the most deadly as "within seconds of inhaling its vapor, it destroys the victim's respiratory organs, bringing on choking attacks" (Duffy). Phosgene had similar effects, except the fact that the effects started kicking in after 48 hours of inhalation. In September 1917, the Germans introduced the mustard gas or Yperite which was contained in artillery shells against the Russians at Riga. Those exposed t...

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...eaponry and sophisticated machines, this total could have been reduce by nearly half and showed how destructive these weapons were. Technology in World War I laid a foundation for even more powerful and deadly weapons such as the nuclear bomb. Technology made war even more bloody and destructive then it already was.

Works Cited

Duffy, Michael. "First World War.com - Weapons of War: Poison Gas." First World War.com - A Multimedia History of World War One. Web. 05 Feb. 2010. .

"Science & Technology in World War I." Shmoop: Study Guides & Teacher Resources. Web. 04 Feb. 2010. .

"Technology during World War I: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article." AbsoluteAstronomy.com. Web. 05 Feb. 2010.