Chapter 19, sec.2, Critical Thinking #3

3. DRAWING CONCLUSIONS In what ways did WWI represent a frightening new kind of warfare? Think About:
• the casualty figures
• new military technology
• shell shock

WWI represented a frightening new kind of warfare because it had some of the worse conditions and the highest death toll of all wars up to this time. WWI had some of the greatest casualties figures up to its time, the death total was about 22 million and the total wounded were around 20million, also 10 million became refuges. The United States lost 48,000 battle, 62,000 were dying of disease and 200,000 were wounded. New military technology added to the frightening new kind of warfare. Machine guns made it so people could be mowed down easily and loading bullets no longer took up time. Tanks made it so barbed wire could be plowed down in order to provide a safe way for infantry to move forward. Airplanes could now drop bombs on people and troops that were below. Things like poison gas became such a problem that gas masks were now mandatory. "Shell Shock" also became a problem. "Shell Shock" was an emotional collapse in which mad some people literally lose their minds. Some people never did recover from it.