WWI Warfare: Weapons of World War I

World War I was called the "Great War" as all of Europe, Asia, and the United States fought for world conquest or world peace. With such a war raging on, new technology was introduced to strive and win the war as fast as possible.

The Mortar

A picture of a World War I Mortar

Mortar's were used for long range attacks as they bombarded the trench's of the enemy. Their advantage was the ability to stay in a trench than rather stand outside in open fire from enemy lines. Mortar's had great distance to hit a target but, the crew had to adjust every shot they took to stay on their target. The crew was normally made out of 2-3 people, one person who carry the heavy equipment while two adjusted the degree of their shot. The mortar's ammo could be poison gas but, mostly grenades or small shells were shot out a 12"inch tube that would hit their target with such force. The mortar's could be used to take out barbed wire out in no-man's land or just to scare the enemy and drop their morale greatly. Also, mortar's were used to take out suspected sniper holes or machine gun holes. When people hear the "plop",they know what is coming and they duck into their holes to avoid the fire. Mortar's were so greatly effective that they even ended up in World War II.

The Flamethrower

A small German flamethrower called the Kleinflammenwerfer used by soldiers

Another weapon used in World War I was the flamethrower that was deadly at close range but, weak from long range and were easily killed as the flamethrowers were targeted first due to their brute force. The Germans ended up making the flamethrower which they took the idea from earlier flamethrowers from the middle ages and dark ages. Well-Known flamethrowers were the Byzantine Empire of east Europe. The Empire used the flamethrowers to scare the enemy's and hit their target charging at them. The Empire used tubes to fire their early flamethrower into the enemy's line. The Germans were fascinated and used the idea in the 1900's as they made the world's 1st modern flamethrower. The Germans had small flamethrowers called the Kleinflammenwerfer, a flamethrower that needed only one person to use it. The bigger version was the Grossflammenwerfer, which was used with two people but, had twice the range than the Kleinflammenwerfer. Allies and Axis both used these weapons to their advantage to frighten the troops and also burn them to a crisp. A disadvantage was that flamethrowers were usually blown up quickly by enemy fire pelting into the tank that holds pressurised air and carbon dioxide or nitrogen. The life of the flamethrowers did not last that long as they blew up by a rain of rifle fire. The French and British as well made their own models but, they did not compare to the Germans superior models as the flamethrower moved along to World War II on foot and in tanks as the flamethrower still exist today.

Rifles of World War I

A German Mouser

The soldiers best friend during that time of war was the rifles of World War I as they protected the soldiers very life from death among them. Some rifles were the German Mouser, The U.S. Springfield, British Lee-Enfield and the French Lebel. The rifle was the number one used gun in the military. The rifle had good range but, it depends on the user himself as the troops had to have great accuracy for a quick blow. The rifles average range during the war was about 1,400 meters but, the accuracy can only be guaranteed at around 600 meters.

The top going down , The British Lee-Enfield, The French Lebel, and then the U.S. Springfield