Download Paper 2 Essay Exemplar - Role of Technology File

Without technology, wars would be more difficult to win. As
World Wars One and Two progressed in Europe, weapon and
communication technology developed to meet the challenges
faced by the combatants. Technology also developed in an
effort to try to gain an advantage in order to win the war.
Whilst the technology used in both wars was
important and in some situations critical for success
in various battles, it was the ability of a nation to
sustain the war, have access to materials and strong
allies that would determine the outcome both
world wars in Europe.
Both World War 1 and World War 2 in Europe was mostly
focussed on land battles. Whilst in World War 1 the war could
be categorised as quickly becoming a stalemate, World War 2 in
comparison, was a more rapid moving war. This was especially
evident when Hitler used the co-ordinated attacks with aircraft,
tanks and infantry to attack Poland, The Netherlands, Belgium
and France – the Blitzkreig tactics.
World War 1, particularly on the Western Front was a defensive
war. The use of machine guns that could fire up to 600 rounds
per minutes had a devastating effect on attacking armies.
Artillery shells, whilst powerful and destructive were inaccurate
and unable to destroy the trenches significantly for the
combatants from either side to take advantage from an
offensive attack. The high death toll, and the dreadful
conditions on the western front would eventually lead to low
morale and questioning the decisions made by politicians and
generals back at the home front. The stalemate and poor
conditions on the eastern front would have catastrophic results
for the Russians.
The use of aircraft by the Germans to locate and predict troop
movements meant a victory for the Germans at the Battle of
Tannenburg. By 1917, the German army was able to re-locate
its eastern front soldiers away from the Russian front due to
revolution but this would not be sufficient to halt the German
decline by 1918.
In World War 2, the potential of the tank was realised,
improved and developed and it could be argued proved to be
one of the most important weapons of his day. Eventually the
USA and the USSR was able to manufacture tanks that rivalled
and were better performing that the German ones. This was
typical of how the allies were able to meet and adapt to the
blitzkrieg tactics used by Hitler later in the war. But just as in
World War 1, Germany by 1941 was fighting a war on two
fronts and this would eventually weaken Germany and lead to
defeat.
The use of aircraft in World War 1 was only just introduced. It
was mainly used as reconnaissance and ‘dogfights’ in the air. In
the First World War, the aircraft did not have sufficient impact
on any battles to determine a final outcome, however by the
war’s end in 1918, it was clear that aircraft had the potential to
make a significant impact in future wars.
In World War 2, aircraft had developed sufficiently to carry
large payloads of bombs, as well as be able to move deeply into
enemy territory.
The Battle of Britain was the first airborne battle which
favoured the British. Hitler’s decision to attack England’s air
bases was in preparation for an amphibious landing however he
was unable to eliminate the RAF sufficiently to achieve his
objective. The British spitfires were more manoeuvrable and
with the assistance of the new technology of radar the British
were able to predict German aircraft approaching the coastlines
of England and be prepared to defend. Whilst this did not
weaken the German military, it could be argued that the
outcome of the Battle of Britain would eventually favour the
allies as they would have a launch pad for a European invasion
in 1944.
Both wars, whilst mainly conducted on land, were dependent
on naval transport to supply raw materials, food and resources
in order to continue the war. In both wars the USA assisted
Britain and her allies by using ships filled with materials to cross
the Atlantic and resupply the UK. In both wars, Germany used
submarines to attack shipping in order to starve Britain.
In World War One, Germany’s geography meant that it only had
its ports in the north of their country and they needed free
access in the Baltic Sea in order to import supplies. Britain’s
successful naval blockade meant that the German navy, not as
superior as the British were hampered. The Battle of Jutland,
whilst it was successful for Germany, the Germans were not
prepared to risk their ships.
Their submarines – U-boats met some success in the Atlantic,
but their policy of unrestricted attacks on shipping meant that
the sinking of the Lusitania would eventually bring the USA into
the war. Combined with the successful naval blockade by the
British and USA joining the war in 1917 with the allies, Germany
was significantly weakened both on the home front and
militarily to seek for an armistice and bring an end to the war.
In the Second World War, submarines had developed
sufficiently to be far more successful attacking shipping in the
Atlantic Ocean. Torpedoes attacked supply ships with more
precision and using radio transmission were able to more ably
coordinate attacks. In the early stages of the war, the Germans
had managed to sink tonnes of shipping. It was the breaking of
the Enigma code that the British were able to decipher the
communication systems of the Germans and by using a convoy
system could prevent such devastating losses.
In the end the outcome of the war was dependent on similar
issues experienced by Germany. Firstly, Germany was fighting a
war on two fronts. This could not be sustained. In the First
World War, the Russians were weaker, disorganised and
eventually sought an armistice but in the Second World War,
the Russians under a Soviet government were able to re-
organise their army, factories and with Stalin prepared to use
every means possible no matter what the cost to fight the
Germans in the long term.
Secondly Germany was weakened by her allies. In the First
World War, the Austrian Hungarian army was not able to
consolidate its position in the Balkans or against Italy. The
Ottoman Turks were also an empire in decline and could not
assist Germany in the middle east. This meant that Germany
eventually was worn down after four years of war with a
shortage of supplies, men and materials. In the Second World
War, Germany’s ally Italy very early on, was unable to defeat
England in Africa or gain an advantage in the Balkans. This
caused Germany to send troops to assist Italy and cause a delay
in achieving her own objectives. In addition Japan did not
declare war on the USSR and so Germany was faced with
fighting the Soviets on her own.
Thirdly the USA’s entry into both wars meant that Germany
would be unable to sustain a war against a powerful
economically developed country that was not affected on its
own soil by the war. In both wars the USA was able to produce
and supply huge quantities of men and materials for the fight.
Germany could not compete. In World War One, the USA entry
into the war in 1917 brought fresh troops and materials to
reinforce the Western Front. General Ludendorff using new
tactics of speed – ‘stormtroopers’ to move quickly to puncture
defensive lines had some success, but the Germans were
exhausted had lost millions of lives and could not consolidate
their gains. In World War Two, The Germans had a formidable
enemy in the Soviets on the eastern front and the allies had by
1942 adapted their strategies and technology to counter the
earlier successes of the Blitzkrieg tactics. The Americans joining
the allies in 1941 and the success of the D- Day landings in 1944
meant that Germany could not sustain the war.
Technology, at times assisted the leaders and generals achieve
their objectives, but technology in both world wars, no matter
how innovative or destructive was not the only factor that
determined success. It was the men, political leadership, access
to materials and the ability to continue the fight for the long
term that eventually led to success for the allies and defeat for
Germany in Europe.