By Prabhjit Singh
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The American development of military
technology, a social and political response to
increasing threats from various military
powers, leads to both an increase in lethality
and a decrease in American casualties.
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Constant progression of military technology
Recently, developments in aircraft, vehicles,
guns, and artillery have made warfare more
effective.
Image taken by Steve Orcutt http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve-orcutt/1399961198/
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With the recent events in Libya, President
Obama allowed for the use of unmanned
drones. This made it so there would “be no
U.S. boots on the ground,” and it the increased
efficiency of fighting.
Technology like this helped suppress violence
in the Middle East and throughout many
places in the world.
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Recent developments in weapons have 2 main
purposes:
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Increase effectiveness (incapacitate enemies)
Reduce American casualties
With many advancements like UAVs (aircraft)
and railguns (for boats), the human element is
being removed from war.
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Military technology develops due to fear of an
outside military force being
stronger(development of the atomic bomb was
a response to enemies during WWII)
Lots of patriotism and sadness when a soldier
dies: reduce deaths. Widespread desire to
reduce soldier involvement leads to technology
development
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Era of technological revolutions includes
military technology revolutions
Industrial revolution occurs-1st machine gun soon
developed
 Era of widespread television- atomic bomb
development
 Modern digital age- weapons that rely on electricity
like railguns: slugs propelled by “electric field”
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Development of long-range weapons and
unmanned vehicles/stealth fighers leads to less
soldiers on the front line. This reduces US
casualties.
F-117 Nighthawks
flew “more than 1/3
of the bombing runs”
for Operation
Desert Storm, none
shot down
Image taken by Archangel27
http://www.flickr.com/photos/archangel27/957077262/
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Occupying a nation is more efficient: better
weapons means less struggle to get target
Full wars cause more death: guns (new M16s,
M4s, etc.) are more lethal, more accurate, and
can be fired from further away
Large supply of nuclear weapons: America is a
strong military force so there is a small chance
of a war on American soil
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Many major wars from Civil War to today have
had new military technology that shaped
outcome of war.
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Development of Gatling Gun
American invention
Among the first machine guns: limited use in
American Civil War
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American Civil War: Monitor vs. Merrimac
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This was a battle of ironclad ships (new technology)
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Engraving provided courtesy of National Archives
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WWI: Use of machine guns and trench warfare
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Machine guns: new rapid-firing guns, more deadly.
This caused trench warfare (opposing sides dug
trenches to protect from machine guns)
Not an American invention, but it made a huge
effect on Americans. America eventually developed
unique machine guns
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Primary Source: German Statement on the Use
of Poison Gas at the Second Battle of Ypres
German publication comments on French
development of poison gases (not invented by
Americans, but America was affected by it)
First Gas Attack at Ypres: “Here we have
conclusive proof that the French in their State
workshops manufactured shells with
asphyxiating gases”
http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/2ndypres_germanstatement.htm
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Primary Source: Third US Protest Over the
Sinking of the Lusitania
“The events of the past two months have
clearly indicated that it is possible and
practicable to conduct such submarine
operations”
 This was part of a letter to Germany from William
Jennings Bryan, Secretary of State. It represents the
destructiveness of new military technology, like
submarines.

http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/lusitania3rdprotest.htm
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Primary Source: John Pershing’s Despatch of 1
September 1919
General John Pershing talks about instability in
Western Front due to trench warfare and
machine guns
“complexity of trench life” partly influenced by
devastation of machine guns, since they stayed
longer they needed more supplies
http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/pershingreport1.htm
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Primary Source: Letter from Albert Einstein to
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
“extremely powerful bombs of a new type may
be created”
Einstein refers to atomic bomb: American
invention during WWII
The atomic bombs caused so much devastation.
They make it clear that new military
technology can be extremely dangerous.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/truman/psources/ps_einstein.html
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RADAR (radio detection and ranging) added
to US subs
Major technological improvement: helps to
detect enemy ships/vessels
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Airplanes: dogfights in the air, a whole new
battleground
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F4U Vought Corsair was among the most common
American fighter planes in dogfights
Tanks in WWII were very important. They
were like ships for land. They reinforced
ground troops
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M3 Lee was main American tank
Multiple variations of these tanks, American
produced and shipped to Britain and other allies
SEA
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Initially there were head
to head fights (Monitor
vs. Merrimac)
Creation of large boats
(like aircraft carriers) to
carry thousands of
people
AIR
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Initially meant for head
to head fighting
(dogfights)
Fighter planes are still
really only meant for a
few people, not that
many
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It is likely that the Allies would’ve still won.
Japan was already really weak and diminished
just before the atomic bombs were dropped.
Even without the dropping of the bombs, Japan
wouldn’t have regained much power. Also,
standard missiles and bombs could’ve hurt
Japan if it was really necessary.
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The M3 Lee was an American tank that was
modified and given to various Allied forces.
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Currently, rail guns are being produced to be
fitted to many naval ships.
http://www.military.com/news/article/obama-oks-use-of-armed-drones-inlibya.html
http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/20164/?a=f
http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/aces.htm
http://www.firstworldwar.com/weaponry/machineguns.htm
http://www.valoratsea.com/radar.htm
http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/lusitania3rdprotest.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/truman/psources/ps_einstein.html
http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/pershingreport1.htm
http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/2ndypres_germanstatement.htm
http://www.firstworldwar.com/weaponry/tanks.htm
http://www.fas.org/programs/ssp/man/uswpns/air/attack/f117a.html
http://www.futurefirepower.com/category/rifles