Technology Outpacing Stategy. Flashcards
Explain the issues with communication.
Among the technical reasons for the stalemate, the most obvious is the lack of a means to effectively communicate between the different levels of command and between the front line and supporting artillery. Telephones were used but the wires were easily cut by artillery and often units were reduced to using runners, which caused a delay of hours if the message got through at all. Radios existed but they were too bulky for use in the trenches. Artillery was forced to fire by meticulously developed fire plans, but they did not have the flexibility to shift targets based on the tactical situation, this deficiency would not be remedied until after the war when radio was perfected.
Give an example where technology outpaced strategy.
One harrowing example of the failure of military strategies was the first day of the Battle of the Somme (July 1, 1916). when British forces suffered about 60,000 casualties, largely due to their continued reliance on mass infantry attacks against entrenched German positions armed with machine guns. This was a tragic testament to the failure of outdated strategies in the face of modern warfare, contributing significantly to the ‘Stalemate in WW1.
Why did defence have an advantage, due to the technology outpacing the military strategy?
The development of highly lethal weaponry such as machine guns and artillery gave defending troops a tremendous advantage, making successful attacks very difficult.
Why was there a sheer difference between technology and military strategy?
People were still learning how to adjust to a modern war. In the Battle of the Somme, the British were forced to learn on the job. This resulted in many casualties and a stalemate, rather than a decisive breakthrough.
Explain the problem if both sides did not know how to deal with new technology.
Both sides had huge armies and many factories to supply their forces with millions of guns, shells and bullets. Each side had massive guns that could shell the enemy and cause huge casualties. However, both sides did not know how to combat that when it was hurled right at them. Outdated tactics, such as mass infantry attacks were ineffective against the lethal power of modern weaponry like machine guns and heavy artillery. Despite high casualties, these tactics based on strategies from previous wars continued to be employed in the confusion and desperation to break the deadlock.
