Warfare Through Time 1850-1900 Flashcards

1
Q

How did the size of armies change during 1850-1900?

A

As the British empire grew, more troops were needed abroad so the growth of the army accelerated from 115,000 to about 250,000.

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2
Q

What was the composition of the army like in 1850-1900?

A

Cavalry continued, even thought new weapons, like rifles and machine guns, made it vulnerable. It was important for scouting and gave an early warning for the presence of the enemy.

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3
Q

How did the cannon become improved? (6)

A

> Made from STEEL - more durable than iron and bronze - less likely to explode
Quicker to reload - put the ball from the back end - 2 round per min to 10 round per min
Improved range - up to 5 km (rifled artillery)
Recoiling barrels - cannons itself stayed in position - quicker refiring
Smokeless powder - did not impair aiming
More powerful

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4
Q

What was the early rifle like?

A

They were muskets with a rifled barrel - invented in the 1500s. They were difficult to load because it was harder to force shot down the barrel.

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5
Q

Describe the improvements made to the early rifle. (4)

A
  1. Minié bullets - small bullets dropped individually down the barrel. Bullets expanded on firing and came in contact with the rifle. Made bullets fly further with rifle - up to 300m
  2. Conical bullets - long and torpedo shaped - flew even further
  3. Percussion bullets - Percussion bullets ended reliance on flint, powder and sparks. Made loading easier and more reliable in damp weather
  4. Breech-loading - pushing bullets into the bottom of the barrel through the side of the rifle. Made reloading 4x quicker than muskets.
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6
Q

Describe the development of machine guns in 1850-1900.

A

The Gatling gun and the mitrailleuse were cannon with 25 rifle barrels, which rotated inside the cannon barrel. They fired 150 rounds per minute up to 2,000 metres but they were very heavy. Maxim machine guns were lighter (only about 20 kg) and could easily be moved into position by men. They were fed bullets from a belt and fired 500 rounds per minute. They were adopted by the British Army in 1889. However, machine guns had their main impact on British armies after 1900.

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7
Q

How did Industrialisation change warfare?

A

The Industrial Revolution improved the production of metal. Industrialists were able to find ways to mass producing cheap metals. This made it possible to make better, cheaper weapons.

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8
Q

How did scientific progress influence warfare?

A

Development of fulminate of mercury created the explosive that made percussion bullets available. Alfred Nobel’s invention of nitroglycerine allowed smokeless powder for rifles and cannons. This meant that they could be fired without giving away their position and attracting fire from the opposition.

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9
Q

How did technology influence tactics?

A

Rifles and machine guns dramatically increased the power of defence. This meant that tactics such as cavalry charges or infantry lines advancing on the enemy became very dangerous. The enemy could just sit in defensive positions and destroy oncoming troops with long-distance, rapid, small-arms fire. However, armies all over Europe were slow to learn this lesson.

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10
Q

Why did the cavalry remain a part of the army?

A

> Used for other roles such as scouting.
Attitudes in society - It was a valued tradition. Many leaders in the army had been in the cavalry and kept for emotional and illogical reasons

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11
Q

Why did governments change their strategies?

A
  • Realised that the strongest armies are the biggest with the most modern weapons. The size and cost of armies rose rapidly.
  • Strategist realised that armies could work further from home. Long-distance transport and better communication made this happen.
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12
Q

Describe the use of steam-powered transport in 1850-1900

A

> Steam-powered trains meant that troops arrived 15 times faster than marching and also arrived fresher. It could also deliver supplies quickly as well
Steamships meant that men, weapons and supplies could be delivered a lot faster than usual.

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13
Q

How did communication enable armies to work further from home?

A

The electric telegraph sent messages over long distances, instantly, along electric wires. Ministers could discuss strategies with generals on campaign.

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14
Q

How did the increase in reporting of the war affect civilians?

A

The increase of reports due to the electric telegraph enlightened the public about the suffering endured by the soldiers and the conditions that they are in. In one case, it caused public outrage leading to the resignation of the PM and his government

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15
Q

How did requisitioning affect civilians in 1850-1900?

A

This declined in this period as the building of purpose built barracks took the need away from demanding goods and services from the population. The building of barracks was slow but rapidly increased during the Napoleonic Wars. Although, the need to billet soldiers in local inns and towns did continue and led to rowdy behaviour that upset the locals.

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16
Q

How did recruitment affect civilians in 1850-1900?

A

During the Napoleonic Wars 10% of the population fought at some point. The death toll was over 2% of the population. During the Crimean War much less civilians fought. The death toll was 0.1% of the population. Women began to be recruited for service abroad in the medical services. The most famous were Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole during the Crimean War.

17
Q

How did taxation affect civilians in 1850-1900?

A

Became increasingly higher in the early 1800s to fund the lengthy Napoleonic Wars (1803-15). A tax on income was imposed annually during the Napoleonic Wars. It was very unpopular and ceased in 1816. It was reintroduced in the 1840’s to fund the Crimean War but very few were actually qualified to pay.

18
Q

What was Cardwell’s reforms for?

A

A series of reforms to make the British Army more professionalised by new War Secretary Edward Cardwell.

19
Q

What was the Army Act (1870) from Cardwell’s reforms? (4)

A
  • Lower ranks were now to be enlisted for 12 years (six in army, six in reserve)
  • Reserves were paid a daily rate of 4d and did annual retraining
  • A soldier could resign after 12 years, or sign up again and receive a pension
  • This ensured a source of extra, trained soldiers
20
Q

What was the Regularisation of the Forces Act (1870) from Cardwell’s reforms? (4)

A
  • Regiments were to be organised into regions with local barracks
  • The time served abroad was reduced as each regiment had two linked battalions: one served abroad while
    another stayed at home
  • Local militia in each area made up the region’s third battalion
  • This made service more acceptable to soldiers, and made sure there were always troops in the country if there
    was an emergency
21
Q

What was the other reforms (1871) from Cardwell’s reforms? (2)

A
  • Branding was abolished and rations improved, flogging was also to be stopped in peacetime
  • The sale of commissions was abolished, improving the quality of officers
22
Q

How were cadets trained in 1850-1900?

A

By 1860s:

  • More officers entered the army with training
  • Artillery and engineering officers trained at Woolwich Military Academy
23
Q

How were existing officers trained in 1850-1900?

A

The Senior Department at the RMC gave in-service training to existing officers:

  • Moved to new buildings in Camberley in 1857
  • Capacity to train officers doubled at the new site
24
Q

How were the trainers trained?

A

Military schools for weapon instructors opened:

  • Rifle instructors: at Hythe in 1853
  • Gunnery instructors: at Shoeburyness in 1859
25
Q

How did the change in training affect warfare?

A

Training included a wide variety of academic subjects and practical courses. Courses like cooking, building fortifications, the science of artillery, military tactics, etc. This made the army more professional.

26
Q

What was the reason for the Battle of Waterloo?

A

A final attempt by France to defeat the other power of Europe. French vs English+Prussians

27
Q

Why was Wellington’s position good in the Battle of Waterloo?

A

He drew his troops onto the reverse side of a ridge to reduce impact from the French artillery. He also set up tow position in front of the ridge to break up the French assault.

28
Q

What was Napoleon’s problems in the Battle of Waterloo?

A

Napoleon now had problems as he needed to attack before more Prussian reinforcements arrived, however he suffered from piles which meant he could not ride his horse to survey the battlefield - this delayed the battle.

29
Q

Who won the Battle of Waterloo?

A

Wellington’s coalition between Prussia and England.

30
Q

Why did Wellington’s coalition win at the Battle of Waterloo?

A
  • Napoleon didn’t prepare for the arrival for the Prussians and couldn’t deal with the excessive numbers of the coalition against his tired soldiers.
  • Bravery of the English soldiers against the French attack was unexpected by Napoleon and they prevented the French from succeeding.
31
Q

How was the Duke of Wellington influential in the Battle of Waterloo?

A
  • Prepared to defend his position
  • Successful in holding out defeat until back up arrived
  • Used infantry squares for defence with cannons which was hard to break
  • Cavalry were deployed to discourage desertion
32
Q

What was the Battle of Balaclava?

A

A Russian attack on a British military base

33
Q

What was the ‘thin red line’ in the Battle of Balaclava?

A

The infantry of Sir Colin Campbell’s 93rd Highlanders was told by Campbell they must win or die where they stood, the infantry beat off two Russian cavalry charges by forming up in line on the plain and firing disciplined volleys. This heroic defense was venerated by the British press as the “thin red line,”

34
Q

What was the ‘charge of the Heavy Brigade’ in the Battle of Balaclava?

A

Raglan now had a great position high up not the hills. He was in a superb position to manoeuvre his troops. He ordered 800 cavalry from the heavy brigade to reinforce the remaining gun positions. Unexpectedly, he came across 3,000 Russian cavalry advancing towards Balaclava. Brigadier-General James Scarlett drew his troops into 3 groups and charged at the Russians. The Russians scattered and fled. The charge of the Heavy Brigade ended the Russian attack on Balaclava.

35
Q

What was the ‘charge of the Light Brigade’ and how was it a disaster?

A

At this point, the battle was almost over. The Russian forces had been forced to retreat twice and had heavy losses, but things went wrong for Raglan. He sent a verbal message to Lord Lucan, ordering him to occupy the previously Russian ground with cavalry. However, as he had no infantry support, Lucan held off, and the Russians began to use this time to remove the Allied guns from the hills. Seeing this, Raglan sent a written note to Lucan, telling him to prevent the Russians from taking away the guns. However, this message was poorly relayed by Captain Nolan, and Lucan interpreted the orders as to attack the Russian guns. Leading his light cavalry in what he knew to be a stupid attack, Lord Cardigan led the charge down the valley, flanked on both sides by Russian guns and cannon. However, once they reached the Russian guns, they were met by a far superior Russian cavalry, and Cardigan retreated back through the valley. Fortunately, with assistance from French reinforcements, the cavalry escaped the Russians, and made it back down the valley. In the attack, of the 673 men of the light cavalry, 113 were killed and 134 were injured. This was a disaster.

36
Q

Describe the role of Lord Raglan in the Battle of Balaclava. (3)

A
  • He knew about the build up of Russian forces, but did not build up his defences
  • He was heavily criticised in the press becuase of shortages of clothes and supplies
  • He delayed the attack on Sebastopol, giving the enemy time to build up their troops
37
Q

Why did the British win the Battle of Balaclava?

A

The ‘thin red line’ and the ‘charge of the Heavy Brigade meant that the Russian attacks were stopped. This meant that the British could keep a hold on Balaclava despite the mistakes from Lord Raglan and the ‘charge of the Light Brigade’.