Modern Warfare c.1900 to Present Flashcards
What weapons were used at the start of the MP?
-Lee Enfield Rifle, Mk I and Mk II tanks, machine guns, mustard gas, mills bomb
What were features of the Lee Enfield Rifle?
-Used by infantrymen trench warfare
-500m range, 15 shots/minute, rifled barrel so more accurate, bayonet (not used).
What were features of tanks in WW1?
-Early stage tanks, very slow, 7km/hr, unreliable, overheated and broke down, attracted gunfire
What were features and examples of machine guns?
-Gatling gun, automatic rapid fire, stops infantry from advancing, causing casualties on a vast scale, heavy and immobile, required 2-3 people to carry
What were features of mustard gas?
-Colourless and odourless gas, used successfully until use of gas masks, making it obsolete.
What weapons/communications were introduced in the middle of the MP?
-Radios in 1930s, RADAR, nuclear bombs (atomic bomb, H-bomb), developed bombs: incendiaries, V1 V2.
-Improved tanks, mechanised vehicles, 1970s PGMs UAVs: first reconnaissance then mounted with weapons
What weapons/communications were introduced in the middle of the MP?
-Radios in 1930s, RADAR, nuclear bombs (atomic bomb, H-bomb), developed bombs: incendiaries, V1 V2.
-Improved tanks, mechanised vehicles, 1970s PGMs (not ballistic trajectory) and UAVs: first reconnaissance then mounted with weapons.
What weapons/communications were introduced at the end of the MP?
-Improved tanks: Challenger II 40 mph, automatic rifles: telescopic site, 400m accuracy (M16), mobile and light, IEDs for suicide bombers, computerised tech, armed UAVs, PGMs guided by GPS, no chemical weapons.
How did the size of army change?
-Went from 4.5 million in WW1 to 200,000 (c.2015) due to more powerful machinery.
How did infantry change?
-Went from 65% to 25%. Charging and gaining land to being used to consolidate land gained.
How did cavalry change?
-Stayed around 10%. Horses only used for scouting and transport, machine guns rendered obsolete. Replaced by tanks.
How did artillery change?
-20% to 10%. Used in bombardments, eg Somme, but now aircraft share bombardment as battlefield becomes more mobile.
How did specialist troops change?
-5% to 55%. Medical and admin units to Royal Engineers, Bomb Disposal Unit, SAS.
-As technology diversified and became more advanced, more specialised troops were required.
How did recruitment change in early MP?
1914- voluntary. Recruitment campaign by Lord Kitchener using propaganda.
1916- conscription. Volunteers dropped as people knew horrors of war and excitement wore off. 2.8m conscripted.
1920- voluntary after WW1 ended, no need for large army
1939- conscription in WW2. Lots of soldiers need. Over 3.5m conscripted.
How did recruitment change in middle and at end of MP?
-1948: National Service, form of limited conscription, threat from Cold War.
-1961 to present: voluntary, recruits can join from 16, fight from 18, minimum 4 years service.
-1992: women recruited and allowed to fight. 1/6 army women by 2008.
How were civilians affected by WW1 and WW2?
-WW1: Food shortages and rationing caused by u-boat campaign.
-Women started to work on home front as men were abroad fighting.
-WW2: Frequent bombing raids on cities: 60k killed, 2m homes destroyed.
-Censorship of new (eg first V2) to prevent hysteria and bad news spreading, keep up morale. Help spread propaganda.
How were civilians affected in the middle of the MP?
-Cold War: fear of nuclear war, TV ads used to educate civilians on preparations for war.
-Attitudes in society changed, increased awareness. Groups such as Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) but peace campaigners had little effect on policy
How were civilians affected at the end of the MP?
-War on Terror: threat to civilian population increased due to indiscriminate terrorist attacks, civilians targeted.
-9/11: 3000 killed. 7/7 bombings: 52 killed.
-AinS changed, no harsh treatment of conscientious objectors, instead stress individual freedom and choice over duty and loyalty to gov.
