USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -60% of the battlefield casualties in WWI were caused by artillery shells exploding. Shrapnel wounds were particularly brutal for soldiers. The word ‘shrapnel’ comes from the small lead balls placed in an artillery shell that would spread out over the battlefield when exploded.

Detailed explanation-2: -Background. Weapons played a big part in creating the difficult and unusual circumstances of trench warfare which the British Army encountered during the First World War (1914-18). The destructive power of modern artillery and machine guns forced soldiers to seek cover on the battlefield and dig in for protection.

Detailed explanation-3: -Perhaps the most significant technological advance during World War I was the improvement of the machine gun, a weapon originally developed by an American, Hiram Maxim. The Germans recognized its military potential and had large numbers ready to use in 1914.

Detailed explanation-4: -By the time of the armistice on November 11, 1918, the use of chemical weapons such as chlorine, phosgene, and mustard gas had resulted in more than 1.3 million casualties and approximately 90 000 deaths (Table 1 ▶).