Modern Warfare - 1900 Flashcards
1
Q
The Britiah Army in peactime
A
- Small army with no change
- Grew during wars
- Shrunk back to normal in peactime
2
Q
Figures of modern army
A
197,000 in 1938
3,300,000 in 1945
3
Q
Infantry in a modern army
A
65% in 1914
Most likley to confront troops on the ground
Fell to 25% in 2015
4
Q
Cavalry in a modern army
A
- 10% in 1914
- Used for scouting
- Battlefield role ended in 1918
- Tanks replaced them as a shock troop
- Tank units made up 10% of the army in 2015
5
Q
Artillery in a modern army
A
- Artillerymen were 20% in 1914
- Bombarding the enemy is a key part in modern warfare
- Aircarft and tanks share this with ground artillery
- Royal Artillery made up 10% in 2015
6
Q
Specialist troops in a modern army
A
- 5% in 1914
- Were only medics and administrative staff
- In 2015, they made up 55%
- Expanded to form engineers, electrical and mechanical engineers, logistical corps and medical corps
7
Q
Haldane’s reforms
A
- Public attitudes towards the poor performance in the Boer Wars led to calls for reforms
- In 1908, Lord Haldane restructured the army
- In 2010, more reforms were planned for the British Army called the Army 2020
8
Q
Haldane’s structure
A
- Haldane planned a force of 150,000 volunteers who were to serve abroad, these were the troops sent to the World Wars
- Haldane combined the part-time soldiers with the reserves to form a proper reserve force that could be used in emergencies
- The Territorial Army was formed in 1920 which had 270,000 men
9
Q
Army 2020
A
- Britain’s standing army of volunteers is to be of 82,000 men
- The Army Reserve is to be of 30,000 troops
10
Q
Modern logistics
A
Involves:
- Transporting troops
- Providing food, supplies and ammunition
- moving sick and wounded troops
- communication amongst the army
11
Q
Changes to the Logistics
A
- Until the 1790s, food and transport was arranged by commanders through raids and requisitions
- In the 1790s, the royal waggoners were created
- In 1855, the logistics of the Crimean war were so poor that it lead to the creation of a permanent logistical corps called the military train
- The Military Train was reformed into the Army Service Corps in 1900
12
Q
The Royal Army Service Corps in WW1
A
- The army was so large that they had a challenge to plan for it
- They need supplies for 120,000 men, 50,000 horses and 1000 motor vehicles in 1914
- Then 3,000,000 men, 500,000 horses and 90,000 motor vehicles
- By the end of WW1, they ASC had 300,000 men, 10% of the army. They were drivers and planners and renamed the RASC (royal)
13
Q
The RASC in WW2
A
- Even more demanding than WW2
- Had to plan for D-Day
- Used 4300 ships to transport and land under fire, 130,000 men and 20,000 vehicles in one day
14
Q
The RASC after WW2
A
- Merged with other corps to form the Royal Logistics Corps in 1993
- 16,000 members making about 15% of the army
- Planned for the Iraq war
- 45,000 troops
15
Q
The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)
A
- German bombs that failed to expolde made it clear that units needed to form to dispose of the bombs
- In 1940, 25 units were formed of 16 men
- By the end of the year, 109 units had been created
- Made 25,000 bombs safe in one year
16
Q
EOD in modern warfare
A
- Make munitions safe found in peacetime
- Deal with land mines and IEDs
- Had 2000 EOD personnel and 300 sniffer dogs in 2015
17
Q
Dragon Runner
A
- Invented by Lieutenant-Colonel Pter Miller in 1972
- Robot used to disarm bombs
- Had pincers, digging arms and cameras
18
Q
Transport, Weaponry and Surveillance changes in 1900-1945
A
- When armies adopted new weaponry, transport methods and surveillance initially, they were able to capture territory quicker
- In the long term, weapons of defence could overcome these weapons leading to a stalemate
19
Q
1914 - Railways
A
- Germany’s surprise attack on France was dependent on the use of railways
- They could be used to concentrate troops in one area
- But dominant artillery increased the power of defence, reducing the power of attack creating a stalemate
20
Q
1914-16: Machine Guns
A
- In 1914, machine guns such as the Maxim and 303 Vickers were popular
- Weighed anout 50kg
- Had to be fed, fired and cooled between 4-6 soldiers
- Poor for advances, good for defence
- 600 rounds per minute over 4km
21
Q
Machine guns on the Western Front
A
- Stopped German offensive just short of Paris
- The opposing troops would have dug trenches
- This created a stalemate on the Western Front
- 60,000 troops were killed on the first day of the Somme because of German machine guns
- This created a war of attrition
22
Q
1916-18 - tanks bought movement
A
- Tanks - 49 first used at the Somme, had little impact as they moved at 1mph and broke down but they improved
- Tanks were armed with 6 pounder cannons and a 303 Vickers
- The British developed a lighter and faster tank
- 400 used at the Battle of Cambrai whcih pushed 10km north
23
Q
Aircraft brought movement
A
- In 1914, the British Flying Corps bought movement with 63 aircraft
- Were limited
- By 1916, were more effective
- Used to bomb and machine gun troops behind enemy lines, bombed factories in the Rhineland and Ruhr
- Also used for surveillance and recon
24
Q
Motorised transport bought movement
A
- The British Expeditionary force had 800 motor cars and 15 motorcycles yet over 50,000 horses in 1914
- Gradually, its value increased
- Vital for quick communication
- Used for quick movement
- By 1918, the British Army had over 55,000 trucks and 35,000 bikes
25
Q
Impact of new transport in WW1
A
- At Amiens in 1918, the Allies used 450 tanks and 1900 aircraft. Thy took 13km, killed 15,000 and took 12,000 prisoners
- During 1917-18, new transport brought an end to the stalemate
- But there were other factors
26
Q
1939-40 Tanks and aircraft produce more movement
A
- Tanks could now move at 20-40 mph
- Aircraft such as the German Sutka could fly low at 240 mph able to drop 500kg of bombs
- Aircraft could also drop paratroopers
- Radio could be used to coordinate attacks
27
Q
1939-40 new weapons brought new tactics
A
- The Germans used all their new technology to create Blitzkreig
(lightning war) - Commanders could use the speed to shock the enemy
- Between 1939-40, the Germans captured Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Holland and France
28
Q
1940-43 - Air defence brought a stalemate
A
- Anti-aircraft guns
- Fighter planes
- Radar
- Other weapons
29
Q
Radar
A
- Robert Watson
