High School

Which of the following was a major weapons technology introduced during WWI?

a) Machine guns
b) Poison gas
c) Cannons
d) Swords

Answer :

Final answer:

During World War I, the British introduced the tank as a new military technology, while machine guns like the Vickers-Maxim and the Lewis Gun drastically changed battlefield tactics due to their rapid firing rates. Therefore the correct option is A

Explanation:

World War I saw the introduction of several new military technologies that changed the face of warfare. Among these, the tank was a significant addition to the British arsenal. The use of machine guns also notably increased, causing severe changes to battlefield tactics. Machine guns could fire hundreds of rounds per minute, which redirected how infantry attacks were conducted. These guns, such as the Vickers-Maxim and the Lewis Gun, became staples on the field. Poison gas and flame projectors were other new technologies that inflicted previously unseen horrors on soldiers.

Artillery, a critical part of warfare, evolved drastically during the war. The German weapon manufacturer Krupp's 'Big Bertha' was extensively used throughout the conflict. The German 'Paris Gun' could shoot missiles into the stratosphere over a distance of eighty miles, demonstrating the advancement in artillery technology. While previous wars may have had guns with serious firepower, nothing had matched the rapid industrialization seen before WWI, which enabled such high-volume production and drastic improvements of weapons.

The transformative shift in military technology during World War I was thus defined by the introduction of tanks by the British and the expanded use of machine guns, which altogether changed the nature and concept of armed conflicts into something far more deadly and destructive than seen in previous wars.