Critical Thinking 19-2 #3

World War One represented a frightening new kind of warfare in multiple ways. During the war, new technologies were introduced that would change war forever. These included weapons such as machine guns, flamethrowers, shells, and bombs dropped from planes. Machines such as tanks and U-boats were also created for use in the war. Chemical warfare was introduced here as well. Both sides of the conflict used gases that would choke people, blind them, cause blistering, and have other harmful effects. These weapons were not entirely reliable though, because if the wind changed they might harm the people who were trying to use them against their enemy. With all these new weapons and technologies, the numbers of casualties were incredibly high. Even when the weapons themselves didn't kill people, soldiers would get diseases from the unsanitary trenches. Another threat to surviving soldiers was that of shell shock. Because of constant bombings, some soldiers emotionally collapsed, losing their minds. For many people, this damage was permanent. The technology created, numbers of casualties counted, and the threat of shell shock were frightening things that were new to war, and more of these things were to be seen in the future.