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Weapons that Shaped WWI: Impactful Innovations and Strategies

Explore the significant role of various weapons used in WWI, such as Canadian Heavy Artillery, Vickers Machine Gun, Ross Rifle, and Trench Mortar. Witness the evolving warfare tactics including gas attacks, tank advancements, and fighter planes. Learn how these weapons revolutionized battlefield strategies and shaped the outcome of the war.

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Weapons that Shaped WWI: Impactful Innovations and Strategies

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  1. Weapons of WWI

  2. Canadian Heavy Artillery • Used to bombard enemy trenches before attack • Mobile guns – could be wheeled easily from location to location • Many suffered from “shell-shock” from hours of continuous shelling

  3. Vickers Machine Gun • Rapid fire (400-500 bullets per minute) • Allowed for massive losses for advancing troops • Trenches were built to avoid machine guns • Tanks would soon limit the machine gun

  4. Canada’s Ross Rifle • Canada was equipped with this gun • Originally a sportsman gun • Frequently jammed in the trenches • Soldiers would throw it away when they could get their hands on a British gun

  5. The Replacement: The Lee Enfield • Sturdy, rarely jammed, and reliable • At 1st Sam Hughes (Canada’s Minister of Militia) threatened court martial if a soldier lost their Ross Rifle • After mass complaints Ross Rifle is switched with the Lee Enfield

  6. Grenades • Detonated 2 ways: on impact or a timed fuse • Important in the war due to trenches • Lobbed into the enemy’s trench

  7. Gas • Considered an inhumane form of warfare • Tear Gas – made enemies eye tear up • Chlorine Gas – made it difficult to breath • Mustard Gas – caused the skin to blister

  8. Tanks • Had the ability to cut through barbed wire • Had trouble moving through mud and trenches • Often broke down • Improved greatly by the end of the war

  9. Trench Mortar • A short tube which fired a shell directly on the enemy • Landed in the trench • Easy to carry, pick up, and move (and hide)

  10. Fighter Planes • First used to find the enemy (surveillance) • Later used to attack enemy lines • Engineers develop an interrupter system to block gun from firing into propeller • Many began to use top-mounted gun

  11. Dirigibles • Inflatable airships used for scouting and bombing • Often used at Sea to sink enemy ships • Germany had the Zeppelin – built extremely well • Britain used smaller ones

  12. Submarines • US and Britain responsible for much research into the building of subs • Germany would utilize the sub the most • Called U-Boats • Used torpedoes • Responsible for mass sinking of Allied ships

  13. Question: Identify the weapon you think might have the biggest impact on WWI. Explain why.

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