Few will deny that the best technological endeavors of man have been directed towards developing weapons of war. Socialists will say it is actually because of the aggressive nature of man, who endeavored most of all to dominate his fellows as a matter of survival. He who can command others has the least chance of expiring through extraordinary methods because he has more means at his disposal, including human lives.
Others may argue, however, that to respond to aggression of people with greater capabilities, those with less capacities must reduce if not eliminate the numerical advantage of the other via superior weapons. This is the essence of Hitler's vergeltungswaffen, the V1 and V2 rockets, and the Messerchmitt262, the first jetfighter ever to fly. Hitler may have sought to equalize the Allies' superiority in quantity of arms by creating better weapons which he called 'weapons of vengeance'.
But the landmark world war weapons are not the rockets, but the tanks. In both world wars, tanks, either by greater number or better tactics, forced the outcome of decisive battles in all areas of conflict. In such battles, tank formations either captured territory or inflicted such grave losses on the enemy that caused him to withdraw. The introduction of the first tanks in the Battle of the Somme caused so much consternation on the Germans they were forced to give up so much ground. The new weapon gave the Allied Powers better advantage on the field.
Thus Germany used the tank as main offensive weapon -along with air attacks--- in their blitzkrieg strategies in World War 2. Heinz Guderian's panzer-led spearheads were so successful in France in the first days of World War 2 that even Hitler thought Guderian was lying when Guderian said they were nearing the English Channel. Hitler and his generals believed Guderian was exaggerating his successes, and ordered him to stop in his tracks. Thus, the miracle of Dunkirk came to pass.
But among the civil war weapons, perhaps the bayonet was the most important. Although it has been used before in many conflicts, it came to effective use during the American Civil War, when both sides fought hand-to-hand combat in substantive numbers with it. Since repeating rifles were at its initial development at the time, the primary close quarters infantry weapon was the bayonet, not the sword, a cavalry weapon. After the musket, the bayonet was the second most effective killing instrument at the time.
Among the medieval weapons, perhaps the most significant weapon -if it may be called so since it is for a defensive purpose--- is the knight's armor. Wearing it, a knight can smite a hundred unprotected foot soldiers without suffering a scratch, fight a similarly-clad knight for a day without anyone winning if of equal expertise, and rest for the night as if nothing has happened, to fight the next day. He was smug in his protective armor until, of course, he met the English long bow.
But the long bow is a totally different topic for discussion next.
Others may argue, however, that to respond to aggression of people with greater capabilities, those with less capacities must reduce if not eliminate the numerical advantage of the other via superior weapons. This is the essence of Hitler's vergeltungswaffen, the V1 and V2 rockets, and the Messerchmitt262, the first jetfighter ever to fly. Hitler may have sought to equalize the Allies' superiority in quantity of arms by creating better weapons which he called 'weapons of vengeance'.
But the landmark world war weapons are not the rockets, but the tanks. In both world wars, tanks, either by greater number or better tactics, forced the outcome of decisive battles in all areas of conflict. In such battles, tank formations either captured territory or inflicted such grave losses on the enemy that caused him to withdraw. The introduction of the first tanks in the Battle of the Somme caused so much consternation on the Germans they were forced to give up so much ground. The new weapon gave the Allied Powers better advantage on the field.
Thus Germany used the tank as main offensive weapon -along with air attacks--- in their blitzkrieg strategies in World War 2. Heinz Guderian's panzer-led spearheads were so successful in France in the first days of World War 2 that even Hitler thought Guderian was lying when Guderian said they were nearing the English Channel. Hitler and his generals believed Guderian was exaggerating his successes, and ordered him to stop in his tracks. Thus, the miracle of Dunkirk came to pass.
But among the civil war weapons, perhaps the bayonet was the most important. Although it has been used before in many conflicts, it came to effective use during the American Civil War, when both sides fought hand-to-hand combat in substantive numbers with it. Since repeating rifles were at its initial development at the time, the primary close quarters infantry weapon was the bayonet, not the sword, a cavalry weapon. After the musket, the bayonet was the second most effective killing instrument at the time.
Among the medieval weapons, perhaps the most significant weapon -if it may be called so since it is for a defensive purpose--- is the knight's armor. Wearing it, a knight can smite a hundred unprotected foot soldiers without suffering a scratch, fight a similarly-clad knight for a day without anyone winning if of equal expertise, and rest for the night as if nothing has happened, to fight the next day. He was smug in his protective armor until, of course, he met the English long bow.
But the long bow is a totally different topic for discussion next.
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