Trench Warfare and Weapons of World War I

Miss Zegas

Review: Militarism

• Military begins to influence the public policy

• With the military in power, many more resources are devoted to weapons of war

• Mobile warfare begins to develop

Increase in Military Spending

• Between 1910 and 1914 European powers increased the $ they spent on military

France 10%

Britain 13%

Russia 39%

Germany 73%

Trench Warfare

• Where were trenches most popular?

• What do you think life was like in the trenches?

• What protection did soldiers have from machine gun and artillery fire?

• Was trench warfare successful?

Machine Guns

• Pro: Guns can now fire 600 rounds per minute!

• Con: Troops constantly need to be supplied with ammunition.

Machine gunner from the 115th Machine Gun Battalion.

Poison Gas

• Germans were first to use

• Eventually used by Allies

• 2 kinds:– Chlorine– Mustard

Captain Solbert with gas mask and grenade.

Soldier hit by mustard gas.

Barbed Wire

• Metal wire with sharp spikes (barbs)

• Used to defend trenches

French soldies in trench covered by barbed wire.

Tanks

• Drive through/over trenches

• Cut through barbed wire

• Psychological fear

Airplanes

• Spying

• Bombing trenches

• Destroying enemy aircraft

Sopwith Camel plane with two machine guns.

Dreadnoughts and U-boats

• Dreadnoughts: modern battleship complete with heavy artillery (Britain)

• U-boats: first submarines (Germany)– Used to sink merchant ships

Propaganda suggesting the Kaiser was friends with the devil.