Machine guns during WWI
What is a machine gun and what does it do?
A machine gun is a rapid firing weapon created in the 1800's during WWI. It uses the recoil of the last fired bullet to fire the next one. The goal of this weapon was to create a rapid firing weapon without any sort of manual intervention.
A machine gun is a rapid firing weapon created in the 1800's during WWI. It uses the recoil of the last fired bullet to fire the next one. The goal of this weapon was to create a rapid firing weapon without any sort of manual intervention.
How did machine guns impact WWI?
Machine guns had greatly impacted WWI. They were used for quickily killing their enemies with their rapid firing abilities. The Germans had 12,500 in 1914 and made over 100,000 of these during the war. The weapon accounted for 90 percent of British deaths during WWI. The machine gun is the main cause for trench warfare. Their huge amount of power forced the soldiers to be on defense in the trenches. Most attacks in trenches with machine guns had ended in failure. At first, most soldiers had only carried a rifle and bayonet, but when new technologies were invented, it had allowed a wider span of weapons and caused a defensive war.
Machine guns had greatly impacted WWI. They were used for quickily killing their enemies with their rapid firing abilities. The Germans had 12,500 in 1914 and made over 100,000 of these during the war. The weapon accounted for 90 percent of British deaths during WWI. The machine gun is the main cause for trench warfare. Their huge amount of power forced the soldiers to be on defense in the trenches. Most attacks in trenches with machine guns had ended in failure. At first, most soldiers had only carried a rifle and bayonet, but when new technologies were invented, it had allowed a wider span of weapons and caused a defensive war.
Who made the machine gun?
The first machine gun was made by Hiram Maxim in 1884. There were other rapid-firing guns before his invention, but they all required some form of manual intervention.
The first machine gun was made by Hiram Maxim in 1884. There were other rapid-firing guns before his invention, but they all required some form of manual intervention.
What were the pros and cons of machine guns?
Machine guns shot a lot faster than a rifle, with about 400-600 rounds per minute which is equivalent to 60-100 shotguns. The machine guns made it easier to kill enemies and it didn't needed to be reloaded again and again since the recoil from the last shot would trigger the nest one, until the whole belt was used.
The cons of machine guns were that you could easily get killed by the opposition, it had short range, it caused a threat to military men in airplanes, increased casualty rates and they were extremely expensive to make. The machine guns would also get jammed and overheat often, even the water-cooled ones.
Pros
- Shot faster than a rifle with about 400-600 rounds per min (equivalent to 60-100 shotguns).
- Easy to kill enemies
- Didn't need to be reloaded again and again
- Shot faster than a rifle with about 400-600 rounds per min (equivalent to 60-100 shotguns).
- Easy to kill enemies
- Didn't need to be reloaded again and again
Cons
- Get killed easily by opposition
- Short range, had to see enemies to fire
- Created a threat to the military men in airplanes
- Greatly increased casualty rates
- Expensive to make
- Would jam and overheat easily
- Get killed easily by opposition
- Short range, had to see enemies to fire
- Created a threat to the military men in airplanes
- Greatly increased casualty rates
- Expensive to make
- Would jam and overheat easily
Where did they use machine guns in WWI?
You could expect to find a machine gun in almost every major country, such as France, Germany, United States, Italy, Russia, Austria-Hungary, etc. The machine gun was very widespread due to it's abilities.
What elements of the machine gun has changed since WWI?
Machine guns had changed a lot since WWI. They became one-man portable machine guns in 1918. They don't overheat anymore and don't require water. They're also cheaper to make and have a lot less recoil.
Do we still use machine guns in the military today?
Yes, today we use the M249 (Light Machine Gun), M240 (General Purpose Machine Gun), and Browning M2HB (Heavy Machine Gun).
Yes, today we use the M249 (Light Machine Gun), M240 (General Purpose Machine Gun), and Browning M2HB (Heavy Machine Gun).
Changes from WWI to Modern Day Machine Gun
- In WWII, machine guns had become portable
- They don't overheat like they used to
- Cheaper to make
- Now has a lot less recoil
- In WWII, machine guns had become portable
- They don't overheat like they used to
- Cheaper to make
- Now has a lot less recoil
Sources
NB 42
http://users.humboldt.edu/ogayle/hist111/WWI.html
https://prezi.com/968tb2mtmxoa/copy-of-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-weapons-in-ww1/
http://www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/battles-and-fighting/weapons-on-land/trench-weapons/
http://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/machine-guns.asp
https://prezi.com/u96by0avkmpr/the-history-and-evolution-of-tanks-and-machine-guns-since-ww1/
http://www.firstworldwar.com/weaponry/machineguns.htm