More than 3.5 million people died in the Napoleonic Wars, which lasted for more than a decade in the early 19th century. World War II, on the other hand, killed more than 60 million people in half as much time. How did war become so much deadlier?
All armies throughout history have wanted a technological edge over their opponents, but the 20th century featured a sort of "industrial revolution" in warfare unlike anything that had come before. In the space of only a hundred years, soldiers went from firing single-shot rifles to dropping atomic weapons from warplanes. The changes in military technology in the 20th century not only made war more destructive, but had a huge impact on human history as a whole.
In the following video, you'll learn more about the role of technology in war--and why the 20th century was so different from all previous centuries of warfare.
Before the 20th century, technology did not drastically change the strategy of war. Even when something revolutionary like the invention of guns and rifles occurred, armies still marched to a battlefield, faced one another, and tried to force the opponent into surrender or retreat. Wars like the American Revolutionary War in the late 18th century introduced new tactics like guerrilla warfare, but the fundamentals of war didn't change.
The technological developments of the Industrial Revolution and the early 20th century, however, permanently changed the nature of battle. Over the course of the last century, war became more destructive, more automated, more industrial, and less "human." Today, people in military compounds can push a button and kill someone on the other side of the world. The days of lining up and firing on command are mostly over.
This shift in the nature of war began with World War I, which saw a number of technological and military "firsts." The battle of Ypres involved the first use of chemical weapons--it was a gas attack that killed 6,000 people in a matter of minutes--and the Belgian city of Liège was the site of the first bombing attack from the air, as airplanes became another military weapon.
These events were just the beginning of the century's rapid technological progress and its rapid escalation of the scope and devastation of war.
Review some of the early developments we discussed in the video above using these questions.
What type of weapon was first used in the battle of Ypres?
- chemical weapons
- incendiary weapons
- intercontinental weapons
German soldiers first used chemical weapons at the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915, when they released tons of chlorine gas in the direction of Allied trenches. The gas turned into acid when it came into contact with the French soldiers' eyes and lungs, and more than 6,000 people died within 10 minutes.
German soldiers first used chemical weapons at the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915, when they released tons of chlorine gas in the direction of Allied trenches. The gas turned into acid when it came into contact with the French soldiers' eyes and lungs, and more than 6,000 people died within 10 minutes.
German soldiers first used chemical weapons at the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915, when they released tons of chlorine gas in the direction of Allied trenches. The gas turned into acid when it came into contact with the French soldiers' eyes and lungs, and more than 6,000 people died within 10 minutes.
What was important about the German attack on the Belgian city of Liège?
- It was the first instance of civilian casualties from an air attack.
- It was the first battle between tank divisions.
- It was the first massacre of civilians during the war.
German planes flew over the city and dropped bombs on its citizens. The bombing was one of the first examples of aircraft being used to kill people in war.
German planes flew over the city and dropped bombs on its citizens. The bombing was one of the first examples of aircraft being used to kill people in war.
German planes flew over the city and dropped bombs on its citizens. The bombing was one of the first examples of aircraft being used to kill people in war.
Summary
Questions answered correctly:
Questions answered incorrectly:
