New Weapons
History: KS3, topic 16.3.7
Technology on the Western Front
Neither side was able to make progress on the Western Front. Technological developments were crucial to break the stalemate.
Industrialisation
- The First World War was one of the first wars to apply industrialisation to warfare.
- This was achieved by the mass-production of weapons and by improvements in technology.
- Key technological advancements were the machine gun, tanks and automatic rifles.
Chemical warfare
- By the 20th century, Germany had an advanced chemical industry. One of their key developments was poison gas.
- Although poison gas was officially banned, Germany used chlorine gas at the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915.
- But poison gas was not a very effective weapon.
Tanks
- Tanks were introduced in September 1916. They were a good way to counter new weapons.
- They could cross No Man’s Land and crush machine gun nests. But they were very unreliable.
Test yourself on New Weapons
When did Germany first use poison gas during the First World War?
Why was industrialisation important during the First World War?
Which of these was used for the first time in the First World War?
What type of gas did Germany use as a weapon at the Second Battle of Ypres?