advantages and disadvantages of rifles in ww1

Aerial photography of the front, 25 August 1916, Vickers .303 inchClass C medium machine gun, 1910. Few technical developments had quite the impact of the machine gun on the Western Front during the First World War. These early experiments were a small taste of things to come. More than 40 million rifles were used on the battlefields of World War I. When it comes to weapons produced primarily for U.S. service, you perhaps would think that rifles of the same type would have the same inspection process when it came time to certifying their suitability for use. Its bomb was detonated by a firing pin as it fell to the bottom of the tube, and it could fire quickly enough to have three rounds in the air simultaneously. In the closing days of 1917, however, the War Department circled back to the idea of using the Russian rifles albeit in their original caliber of 7.62x54 mm R. The new Soviet government had entered into an armistice with the Central Powers on Dec. 15, 1917, and began formal peace negotiations on December 22 at Brest-Litovsk in Ukraine. A special thanks is owed to Archival Research Group for providing high quality scans of the primary source documents used to write this article. Documents drafted shortly after the war indicate that many thousands of these rifles were shipped across the United States for use as training weapons and stateside guard duty, with 12,954 being issued to the National Guard, 41,705 to various Home Guard organizations and approximately 25,000 to the U.S. The French also designed and constructed their own tanks, first using them in battle in April 1917. The idea of large armoured carriers, impervious to rifle and machine-gun fire, was developed by a British military committee in 1915. Sailors from the U.S.S. Brig. Nineteen underground mines were exploded by the British at different points in the German front line, causing panic among the German troops A million pounds of explosives were detonated and the sound was heard in London, 130 miles away. They were also effective at taking out enemy machine gun and sniper posts. These machine guns all played a significant role in World War I and contributed to the massive death tolls and casualty numbers that the war is remembered for. They fired rapidly, pointed easily and were superb pistols for their time, giving excellent service if properly cared for. What was the significance of World War I? While the Colt Model 601 was the first AR-15 to be mass-produced, there were several design variations that came before during the platform's development. The First Battle of Ypres (20 October-22 November 1914) marked the end of open and mobile warfare on the Western Front. The new improvements were epitomized in the French 75-millimetre field gun; it remained motionless during firing, and it was not necessary to readjust the aim in order to bring sustained fire on a target. A large portion of the U.S. soldiers and sailors tasked with the controversial intervention in the Russian Civil War were armed with American made Mosin-Nagants, something that undoubtedly simplified logistics when it came to spare parts and ammunition. This is perhaps because World War I was arguably the last riflemans war, during which the rifles place as the most lethal arm on the battlefield was completely eclipsed by artillery, machine guns and all manner of other technological contraptions. Infantry Rifles Of World War Gen. Crozier stated that even though it is not necessary that troops shall go into campaign armed with the [Krag] rifle, it is possible that some of these rifles may be required for drill and target practice,"and he recommended that the issue of Krag rifles to groups other than federal forces be suspended." Rifle cleaning, maintenance and drilling occupied a good deal of an infantry soldiers daily routine. The effectiveness of the tank as a weapon, was not fully realised until the inter-war years. Bayonet injuries were cruel, particularly since British soldiers were trained to thrust the bayonet home then give it a sharp twist to the left, thus making the wound fatal. Guards stationed at Fort Robinson, Neb., had some critiques: Stating a few apparent defects in the construction of Russian rifle, due perhaps to lack of knowledge of its nomenclature: Can be safety locked only by pulling back knob of cocking piece with fingers and turning it to the left which makes it impossible to pull trigger or open chamber. A rapid series of messages back and forth between the Ordnance Office, and the commanders of both Springfield Armory and Watervliet Arsenal details some of this process. Weapons of the Western Front The "U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1903," better-known as the M1903 Springfield, has become one of the most popular U.S. military small arms to collect. The Germans combination of submarine and torpedo technology came close to winning the First World War for the German navy in 1917. The Maschinengewehr 08 or MG08 was capable of firing hundreds of 7.92mm rounds a minute at ranges in excess of two kilometres. By 1918 tanks were being effectively usedas part of an 'all arms' approachduring the Allies' successful attacks. Artillery was the most destructive weapon on the Western Front. WebIn World War I, hand grenades were also known as hand bombs. The general philosophy for their use in the fighting armies was that grenades could kill the enemy underground or behind cover. As gunnery practice improved the British were able to use this lightmachine gun to give effective mobile support to their ground troops. Alfred, Graf von Schlieffen, who served as chief of the German general staff from 1891 to 1905, took a contrary view, and it was the plan he developed that was to guide Germanys initial wartime strategy. World War I was a war of artillery - The Big Guns. The Stokes mortar (above) was the most successful British mortar. Gen. William Crozier, the U.S. Armys Chief of Ordnance, to request authority to being the [e]mergency procurement of small arms other than of U.S. Flamethrowers were so feared and despised that soldiers using them became targets for rifle and sniper fire. This action, along with the work on Krag rifles and carbines, earned the scorn of some of the workers as reflected in one anonymous complaint written to U.S. Simply enter your email address below to start receiving our monthly email newsletter. Ten days later, a polite but lukewarm response was composed by a major from the Small Arms Division, stating that "it is not deemed advisable to have a third model of rifle in the service, at the present time,"although he did suggest that the rifle could be sent to Springfield Armory for further evaluation. There was no denying the deadly impact of artillery. The rifle will be known as the Russian 3 Line Rifle. Almost all British and British imperial soldiers were issued with the Lee-Enfield 303, German troops received a 7.92mm Mauser and French soldiers the 8mm Lebel and Berthier. These were later replaced by asmall box filter respirator which provided greater protection. The only real disadvantage was their lack of mobility (it took a 2/3 man crew to move it around and operate it). Grenades came into use around the 15th century and were found to be particularly effective when exploded among enemy British officers were issued with the Webley Mark V or Mark VI, which fired a .455 bullet from a six-round magazine. While the companies certainly benefited from government picking up their contract for Russian rifles, the government war effort was at least an equal beneficiary. Their rapid rate of fire caused machine-guns to quickly overheat, requiring elaborate water and air-based cooling systems to prevent them from jamming or exploding. Specialist units would dig tunnels under no mans land to plant huge mines under enemy trenches and positions. Although chemical warfare caused less than 1% of the total deaths in this war, the psy-war or fear factor was formidable. Thesewere latermodified to carry smoke, incendiary devices, flares and anti-tank warheads, as well as high explosive. The elder Helmuth von Moltke, chief of the German general staff from 1858 to 1888, decided that Germany should stay at first on the defensive in the west and deal a crippling blow to Russias advanced forces before turning to counterattack the French advance. In the same May 17 memorandum, the Ordnance Department reported that,There are on hand approximately 210,000 Krag rifles and carbines, of which 102,000 are serviceable,"and that, The unserviceable guns and ammunition require overhauling and putting in shape.". Gen. Crozier pointing out to one worried mother that, "There have been for some time at each cantonment of the National Army 55,000 Krag Jorgenson rifles for training; these were soon after their supply followed by an additional 2,000 of these rifles, which are very serviceable weapons, although not of the present standard model for the United States Army.". The front line trenches werebacked-up by second and third lines: 'support' and 'reserve' trenches. In the realm of field artillery, the period leading up to the war saw the introduction of improved breech-loading mechanisms and brakes. While modern weaponshad helped create this problem, generals hoped thatthey would also assistthe army in fighting their way out of it. Although the vast majority of the non-standard rifles detailed above did not see overseas service, they did free up a staggering number of M1903s and M1917s for service abroad. It was also somewhat resistant to artillery fire, tangling together further to become more impassable, or being simply replaced if it was damaged. 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Machine Gun This system was strengthenedwith fortifications, underground shelters andthick belts of barbed wire. All of the existing forgings could be used, with the goal to "develop a military rifle of about the same length as the Springfield rifle and one which [the company] experts feel could in an emergency be usefully employed by our own troops." A closer look at the receiver markings of a Westinghouse manufactured M1891 rifle. The New Remington Rifle Company of Bridgeport, Conn., wasnt far behind, with the Acting Chief of Ordnance placing an order on Jan. 7, 1918 for 78,950 already produced rifles. From left to right: Springfield Trapdoor, Krag-Jorgenson, Ross Mk II*** and an American-made M1891 Mosin-Nagant rifle. But the bayonet was still a handy tool that soldiers also used for cooking and eating! As the pictured rifle and period unit photograph shows, rifles distributed to the NYG often received painted on unit markings done right over top of the original Canadian stampings. They had a sustained fire of 450600 rounds per minute, allowing defenders to cut down attacking waves of enemy troops like a scythe cutting wheat. The German navy pioneered the diesel-powered motorised torpedo. Gas was not the only chemical weapon of WWI Although not as significant as gas, incendiary shells were deployed in World War One. Even older US military rifles were brought back into service to help alleviate the acute shortage of functional weaponry. This work gradually led pilots into aerial battles against enemiesengaged in similar activities. Spencer Tucker, historian. WebGuns, germs, and steel refers to the geographical advantages and disadvantages that were present in early civilizations. The French developed their own small one-man flamethrower and used it in the final months of the war. Repeating rifle The stealth and speed of German submarines gave Germany a considerable advantage in its dominance of the North Sea. The Vickers machine-gun (above)was famed for its reliability and could fire over 600 rounds per minute and had a range of 4,500 yards. Many of these had been forced to give up their Krags or other weapons during the early days following the U.S. entry into the war, and would likely have welcomed brand new (although non-standard) firearms into their arms rooms. The introduction of gas warfare in 1915 created an urgent need for protective equipment to counter its effects. These mines would be remotely detonated, usually in coordination with an attack on the surface. The largest number of Russian rifles were shipped to schools and colleges with programs of military instruction. The first and most obvious choice to supplement the shortfall of modern rifles was the Krag-Jorgenson pattern of rifles, produced between 1894 and 1903 by Springfield Armory. WebThe advantages and disadvantages of each rifle type vary depending on the model and type of rifle. Schlieffen realized that on the outbreak of war Russia would need six full weeks to mobilize and assemble its vast armies, given the immense Russian countryside and population, the sparsity of the rail network, and the inefficiency of the government bureaucracy. The Stokes mortar was little more than an educated drain-pipe, without wheels and divisible into man-portable loads. It also gained mass use among most of the main nations involved in the events of World War I. Ammonal bag from theDurand Mine, Vimy Ridge,1917, Royal Engineers mining under Messines Ridge, 1917. While the later Ross Rifles were charger fed, the Mk II*** featured a follower depressing lever on the side of the rifle that allows the user to dump the cartridges into the rifle, instead of inserting them singly. The loss of this contract would economically harm the companies of course, as they had been created almost exclusively to handle the Russian contracts. In addition, many were disbursed to various organizations that had a need for a recently obsolete military rifle for marksmanship training, drill practice or ceremonial use. On an unsuspecting enemy, Britain unleashed its new secret weapon - the tank. Almost all British and British imperial soldiers were issued with the Lee-Enfield 303, German troops received a 7.92mm Mauser and French soldiers the Authors: Jennifer Llewellyn, Steve Thompson In a May 17, 1917, memorandum from the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, they report that, there are in in the possession of Educational Institutions 44,708 Krags and in the possession of Rifle Clubs 7,421." Each torpedo contained several hundred pounds of explosive, usually TNT, that detonated on contact with the hull of its target. On Governors Island in the New York Harbor for instance, the 300 men of the 9th U.S. The devastating firepower of modern weapons helped create the trench stalemate on the Western Front during the First World War. This was not the case with the Russian rifles. New York requested either an exemption to the tax, or reimbursement for the fee through the federal government. MACHINE GUNS IN WORLD WAR I The Germans first used gas against the French during the capture of Neuve Chapelle in October 1914 when they fired shells containing a chemical irritant that caused violent fits of sneezing. Initially aircraft carried outartillery spotting and photographic reconnaissance. Thats not to say they were always received with open arms however, and the Commanding Officer of the 5th Battalion, U.S.