Who introduced the technology of the tank at the First Battle of Somme

The first tank used was nicknamed 'Little Willie' and carried up to three crew members. Tanks made their first appearance at the Battle of the Somme. Watch this video to understand the significant role trench warfare played in conflicts from 17th century France through World War I. Moreover, any type of fixed location for supplies was a target for the enemy. This proved necessary because the main railways were too slow and the roads were either destroyed or in rough condition. In fact, the situation on the Western Front during the First World War was why the term trench warfare became synonymous with attrition, futile conflict, and stalemate.īecause so much of the war was fought in trenches, trench railways emerged as a way to get food, water, and ammunition to all the soldiers.

This meant huge casualties and some of the deadliest battles in history, including Gallipoli, the Marne, Verdun and the Somme. Trench WarfareĮven with all the new technology being introduced, much of World War I was fought in trenches, especially the Western Front. Still, some new weapons and technology used such as chemical warfare, flamethrowers and submarines caused great fear and chaos during World War I. Field telephones and sound equipment was also used to find the enemy's location. Airplanes and submarines were used for the first time, initially to locate the enemy. Tanks and armored cars were used to protect soldiers as they travelled across rough, dangerous terrain. Men carried them on counter-battery missions to spot the enemy. However, by the end of the war, both sides were using weapons, technology, and tactics in an attempt that could be used to decrease the number of lives at risk.Ĭannons were replaced by machine guns, which were sometimes used as indirect gunfire, a tactic used to draw out an enemy's location. The combination of 19th-century war tactics, such as an adherence to the Napoleonic principles, which focused on destroying the enemy despite huge losses, and new 20th-century technology, was a major reason for so many casualties in the First World War.

World War I Battles with the Most Casualties.World War I Mark V-star tank Related Links Here's a look at the weapons and technology used during the First World War.

Who introduced the technology of the tank at the First Battle of Somme