![]() The first wars in which these new military technologies were used on a large scale included the Crimean War (1854-56) and the American Civil War (1861-65). ![]() Advances in chemistry led to new high explosives. Developments in transport were also utilised, with steel becoming standard in battleships and trains starting to be used to quickly ferry large numbers of troops to war zones. A bullet was 30 times more likely to strike its target. The guns were more reliable and hence more accurate. Mass production in factories churned out not only large numbers of standardised guns and bullets, but also boots, uniforms and tents. It was not long before the military started harnessing some of these inventions. Growing exploitation of minerals like coal and iron were especially important, as was the advent of the steam engine – especially in ships and trains. Starting in Europe, major developments transformed a wide range of industries. The late 18th and 19th centuries saw a rapid development in technology which we now, of course, refer to as the Industrial Revolution. Harnessing the Industrial Revolution for war In this article, I examine which technological developments led to the most casualties and what lessons we can draw about science, technology and the military today. The centenary is therefore an important opportunity to reflect on a conflict in which rapid developments in technology led to a huge increase in the devastation that could be caused by war. ![]() Only the Russian Civil War and World War II had higher annual death rates. As an example of the carnage, the total death toll of the war has been estimated at over 15 million people between July 1914 and November 1918 – an average of about 3.5m per year. ![]() And WWI itself is one of the most destructive wars in human history. ![]() Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, examines how technological innovation contributed to one of the most devastating wars in human history – and asks what lessons we should take from this.Īrticle from SGR Newsletter no.44 online publication: 5 April 2016Ģ016 is the centenary of two of the bloodiest battles of World War I: the Somme and Verdun. ![]()
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