THE MACHINE GUN

The Machine Gun

At the outbreak of war Germany, had the upper hand in both the quality and quantity of machine guns. The German army had more than 10,000 units in 1914, while the British and French had few than 1,000 each. Machine guns of the time were capable of fires up to 500 rounds per minute - but they were cumbersome, very heavy (often more than 100 lbs.) and required at least three well-trained men to set and operate effectively. Their rapid rate of fire also caused machine guns too quickly over heat, requiring elaborate water and air based cooling systems to prevent them from jamming or exploding.

http://www.teachertube.com/video/world-war-one-machine-guns-293640

Quick facts about machine guns during World War I

1. Took 4-6 men to operate

2. Often overheated very quickly

3. Estimated value 1. 1 Machine Gun = 80 Rifles

4. Typically used as a defensive weapon Invented by an American (Hiram Maxim) while in England

GUDIED QUESTIONS:

1. How might the machine gun impact causality and death rates?

The Airplane

BENEFITS TO AIRPLANES

1. An alternative to the Navy

2. Quicker access to other countries

3. Attack from above

Guided Question:

2. In what ways can airplanes be used to help a country in the midst of war?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_iq0lKTCfU

At the start of World War One, aircraft were very basic and

crude. By the time World War One had ended, aircraft had

become far more sophisticated and had differentiated into

fighters, bombers and long-range bombers. The development

of aircraft was stimulated by the war’s requirements, as was

the way aircraft were actually used. At the start of the war in

August 1914, British airmen were part of the British Army and

commissioned officers had army ranks. By the end of the war

in November 1918, the Royal Flying Corps no longer existed

and was absorbed into the newly created Royal Air Force. This

had its own command structure away from the army and

introduced its own ranks.

The Submarine

Guided Question:

3. How will the use of submarines change naval strategies?

The Atlantic Ocean became an important battleground as German submarines took on the might of the dominant British Navy. The stealth and silent submarines were able to sink 5,200 ships by war’s end, and nearly brought Britain to its knees. In their frenzy of attacks, the Germans sunk the U.S. passenger liner Lusitania, killing nearly 2,000 on board including over 100 Americans. American outrage helped President Wilson get Congress to finally agree to enter the war. In the end, the Allied Atlantic blockade forced Germany to surrender. Submarines was established as an effective military weapon and opened up a new avenue of warfare and reconnaissance.

Role of submarines in World War I

1. First Major Impact was WW1

2. Sneak Attacks

3. Spying

4. Control of the Waters

5. Main contributor to the United States entering the war

6. Used very effectively by the Germans

http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/world-war-i-history/videos/u-boats-sink-the-lusitania-in-1915

The Tank

Tanks were the first armored fighting machines to be used on the battlefield. These “land ships” were adapted from tractors and were first designed in secrecy. The goal of the tank was to break through the heavily fortified trenches and offer protection for troops from artillery attacks. Though a massive failure in the Battle of the Somme, the British refined the tank design and by the end of the war these machines were a key factor in battle.

The role of tanks in World War I

1. Advancement of troops

2. Protection

3. Can do considerable amounts of damage

4. Knock down barriers

Guided Question

4. What do you think was the biggest role of tanks during World War I?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHIp-hyXKWc

The Trench

Trenches in World War I

1. Used to protect soldiers from enemy fire in the fields

2. Used extensively during World War I

3. Came out of necessity because of improved weapons, particularly: better rifles, machine guns, and tanks.

is a type of using occupied

, in which

protected from the enemy's

substantially sheltered from

Guided Question:

5. List two positive and two negative characteristics of trench warfare?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G4ZY66BG38

POSION GAS

Despite international treaties banning chemical weapons, poison gasses were used on both sides during World War I, with deadly consequences. After the Germans first use chlorine as a weapon, both sides employed poison gas in an attempt to gain the upper hand during the war. The use of chemical weapons escalated, culminating in a bold British plan that unfolded beneath the battlefield at Messines Ridge in northern France in June 1917. Chemical weapons sparked an on-going international debate about the ethics of using such weapons in warfare

Poison Gas in World War I

1. Tear, Chlorine Phosgene, and Mustard gases were used.

2. Effects ranged from eye irritation and temporary blindness to death

3. The Germans were the first to use tear gas in combat.

4. Phosgene gas is the most deadly gas; accounting for 85% of all gas related fatalities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHJIbKnzVnc

Guided Question:

6. Why would a country chose to use poison gas as a weapon?

Total War

In the spring of 1915 the trenches along the western front were filled with millions of soldiers at the average rate of one soldier per four inches of trench. The job behind the frontlines was to keep the men fed, equipped and ready to continue the fighting until the end came.

The civilians behind the lines were as important to victory as the men on the lines. Because of their value to the war making power of each nation, civilians became the target of the enemy. Since both sides targeted both civilians and military personnel and mobilized men and resources an unprecedented rate the Great War was a “Total

Total War in World War 1

1. All countries channeled the nation’s entire resources into the war effort.2. All countries set up systems to recruit, arm, transport and supply huge armies.3. All nations (except Britain) had universally conscription or “the draft.”4. Governments raised taxes, borrowed money and rationed food and other products.5. Both sides used propaganda to promote their cause.

Guiding Question:

7. Why would countries devote some much to the war effort?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVIdcOyeVUk