World War I: Long-Term Impact Of The Industrial Revolution
Adam Garcia
History 395 Mid-term Professor Finch
4/22/08
World War I lasted four years and produced almost forty deaths with ten million of them being civilian casualties. Both sides felt that the Great War would be over quickly, especially Kaiser Wilhelm II when he proclaimed “I will have Paris for lunch, and St. Petersburg for dinner.” It only took a few months for both sides to discover that this war would not be fought and won quickly or cheaply.” It was the long term impact of the industrial revolution that separated WWI from any other previous war. A century of industrialization meant that Germans, French, and the British could keep their men armed, clothed, fed and free from lethal epidemics on the fronts all year long. Military …show more content…
Some consider the battle of Verdun the greatest, most critical and bloodiest battle ever fought. Never before had a lengthy battle (Feb.21-Dec.19) been fought on such minimal land (ten kilometers) and resulted in an estimated 700,000 deaths. Alfred Joubaire, a French soldier, writes in his diary of the horrors at the battle of Verdun “They must be crazy to do what they are doing now: what a bloodbath, what horrid images, and what a slaughter. I just cannot find the words to express my feelings. Hell cannot be this dreadful. People are …show more content…
The submarine created a whole new front for the Entente powers to overcome on their way to victory. Not only did the German submarines attack enemy ships they struck merchant ships as well. By striking merchant ships, the Germans felt that they could control the economic warfare as well. But above all the German U- boat was a killing machine in a World War, in a new kind of warfare. Johannes Spiess is on watch duty in the conning tower when the U-9 is sent on its first patrol mission on September 22, 1914; he remembers what happened that day. At 7:20 the order came: ‘Periscope out. First tube stand by.’ Everyone in the boat was counting in seconds. ‘First tube fire! Periscope in!’ I pressed the firing button with my right hand and withdrew the periscope with my left hand, while shouting throught the voice tube: ‘First tube fired!’ For a few brief moments of what was my first glimpse at the enemy through the periscope, I noticed their stern was considerable low down in the water, White smoke was pouring our of their four funnels, the bow stem was somewhat out of water and lifeboats had been lowered. The cruiser – it was HMS Aboukir – turned slowly over to one side and disappeared under the
History 395 Mid-term Professor Finch
4/22/08
World War I lasted four years and produced almost forty deaths with ten million of them being civilian casualties. Both sides felt that the Great War would be over quickly, especially Kaiser Wilhelm II when he proclaimed “I will have Paris for lunch, and St. Petersburg for dinner.” It only took a few months for both sides to discover that this war would not be fought and won quickly or cheaply.” It was the long term impact of the industrial revolution that separated WWI from any other previous war. A century of industrialization meant that Germans, French, and the British could keep their men armed, clothed, fed and free from lethal epidemics on the fronts all year long. Military …show more content…
Some consider the battle of Verdun the greatest, most critical and bloodiest battle ever fought. Never before had a lengthy battle (Feb.21-Dec.19) been fought on such minimal land (ten kilometers) and resulted in an estimated 700,000 deaths. Alfred Joubaire, a French soldier, writes in his diary of the horrors at the battle of Verdun “They must be crazy to do what they are doing now: what a bloodbath, what horrid images, and what a slaughter. I just cannot find the words to express my feelings. Hell cannot be this dreadful. People are …show more content…
The submarine created a whole new front for the Entente powers to overcome on their way to victory. Not only did the German submarines attack enemy ships they struck merchant ships as well. By striking merchant ships, the Germans felt that they could control the economic warfare as well. But above all the German U- boat was a killing machine in a World War, in a new kind of warfare. Johannes Spiess is on watch duty in the conning tower when the U-9 is sent on its first patrol mission on September 22, 1914; he remembers what happened that day. At 7:20 the order came: ‘Periscope out. First tube stand by.’ Everyone in the boat was counting in seconds. ‘First tube fire! Periscope in!’ I pressed the firing button with my right hand and withdrew the periscope with my left hand, while shouting throught the voice tube: ‘First tube fired!’ For a few brief moments of what was my first glimpse at the enemy through the periscope, I noticed their stern was considerable low down in the water, White smoke was pouring our of their four funnels, the bow stem was somewhat out of water and lifeboats had been lowered. The cruiser – it was HMS Aboukir – turned slowly over to one side and disappeared under the