Throughout World War I (WWI), a variety of innovative weapons were used in battle. In an effort to gain superiority over enemies, armies were forced to resort to newly developed combat technologies, some of which are still in use today. Using these innovative weapons, armies sought to gain the upper hand, strength, and efficiency vital to success in battle. Machine guns, gas, and tanks were just some of the recent and deadly developments of the war that had a significant effect on the outcome of many battles fought. Machine guns were so lethal because of their power and ability to cause severe damage in such short periods of time, gases because of their psychological influence on soldiers and the unfamiliarity soldiers had with them, and tanks because of the massive quantities of damage they could cause. These weapons were among the most significant in contributing to the severity of World War I from the Western Front. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayOne of the reasons the new weapons were so effective was because they minimized the need for alternative weapons. For example, the introduction of machine guns reduced the need for regular rifles during battles, due to their efficiency. They eliminated the option to carry out attacks, as they had the ability to fire 400 rounds per minute, which meant that large numbers of enemies could be eliminated in short periods of time. Before the implementation of machine guns, soldiers were only able to fire 15 rounds per minute. Modern technology was far superior to previously used weapons. Machine guns were also used as a distraction for enemy troops. While machine gun shooters quickly cut down opposing forces, other soldiers managed to ambush enemy lines. This strategy was used by the Germans in the Battle of Verdun against France. Before the 1908 war, the Germans introduced machine guns into their battles, capable of firing seven shots per second, while maintaining a range of two kilometers. This inspired a change in the armaments and tactics of all countries as they attempted to adapt to these new developments. 75% of all war casualties were caused by artillery (Winter D, 1978), so the effect of high-powered weapons on World War I was extreme. World War I is often called the first war fought with chemical weapons, which meant that armies were facing unknown forces from the enemy ranks. At the beginning of the war, gases were incredibly useful, as they were unknown to almost all soldiers. However, when gas masks were implemented on the battlefield in response, they significantly reduced the impact physical damage was minimal, the gases had a huge psychological influence on soldiers. They feared it because they had no way of knowing at what moment they were gassed, resulting in random deaths at any time. The gases ranged from chlorine, mustard gas, bromine and phosgene. Chlorine is a strong irritant that hinders the functioning of the eyes, nose and respiratory tract. In extreme doses, mustard gas kills by causing blisters on the throat and lungs until they close after it is released. Bromine corrodes human tissue, damaging the throat and eyes and is fatal. Phosgene creates a buildup of fluid in the lungs. Phosgene was responsible for 85% of gas-related deaths during World War I. Each of these gases was incredibly deadly to several 2019