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