World War I Firsts

1. World War I Firsts

2. Tanks • First used in the Battle of Flers • Idea of the tank came from farm vehicles • Farm equipment could cross land using caterpillar tracks • Tanks could easily cross no man’s land and crush the barbed wire

3. Planes • Planes in WWI were not accurate or effective but everyone used them • Bomber planes were able to carry 2 to 3 bombs on each trip • Problems: • Planes would shed their fabric on the wings • The Junker JI would take hours to take off and would sometimes fall over • Planes in WWI did NOT affect the outcome of the war

5. Gas • Germany first used Chlorine gas in 1915 • Burns the throat • 1917 Germany began launching mustard gas in artillery shells • Eyes would become irritated and red • Skin would have red spots that would turn into yellow blisters • Sneezing, coughing • Abdominal pain and vomiting • There was nothing doctors could do except wait to see if you lived or died • Gas Masks were introduced to help protect the soldiers

7. Guide Dogs • Dogs were used as messengers in the trenches • Soldiers were weighed down because of their packs and they were an easy target for the enemy • Psychological Impact • Took the soldiers minds off of the horrors of war

8. Flamethrowers • Object: • Spread fire by launching burning fuel • Flammenwerfer • Small portable flame thrower that could spread fire 59 feet • Grossflammenwerfer • Stationary device • Spread fire 118 feet and lasted about 40 seconds