The beginning of World War I was a clash of the 20th-century technology and the 19th-century tactics, which led to massive bloodshed and large numbers of casualties. During WW1, the period between 1914 and 1918, is described as the history's biggest revolution of military technologies and tactics. About 44 years before the war, Carl von Clausewitz had invented the roadmap in the manuscript “On War." The writings by Clausewitz influenced the birth of combined arms warfare that revolutionized warfare. The theories pinned by Clausewitz on the Center of Gravity (COG) and Paradoxical Trinity had an enormous influence on the birth of combined arms warfare.
Clausewitz described a theory known as the center of gravity- the source of power that gives physical or moral strength, will to act, and freedom of action. The strategic judgment proposed by Clausewitz in his theory of COG went beyond the tactical problem set. Therefore, the military had to focus on other linear operations other than artillery and flanking since trench warfare was failing terribly. Most of the combats were based on trench warfare, in which thousands of soldiers died for every meter gained (Von Clausewitz, 2014). The Germans applied the Haber process of nitrogen fixation that constantly supplied the military with gunpowder. The highest number of casualties was as a result of artillery, and it led to large amounts of explosives. The increased head injuries led to the development of steel helmets with France introducing Adrian helmet in 1915 and later Brodie helmet by Britain (Pommerin, 2014). World War 1 was distinguished from previous wars by its extensive use of chemical warfare and the use of Gases, including phosgene, chlorine, and mustard gas. The poisonous gases killed many defenders and also attackers when the wind changed.
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By the year 1917, Russia, Britain, and Germany realized that artillery was the COG they would utilize to neutralize and defeat their enemies. The issue was how to use it so that it could work in their favor effectively. Land-based weapons such as railway guns were the most potent weapons used, and they weighed several tones per piece (Heerwagen, 2007). Germany, for example, developed the Paris Gun, which enabled Germany to bombard Paris from over 62 miles. The invention gave Germany an advantage since their soldiers could make an attack miles away, preventing them from being attacked. France and Britain were pushed to the edge by Germany's invention, and therefore they had to find their COG to solve the problem posed by Germans. They created tanks and mechanized their warfare, and the first British tanks were used in November 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai. The attack broke the Hindenburg Line, and the teams which had combined arms confiscated over 100 guns and captured about 8000 enemy soldiers. The French also launched their tanks, which were called the Renault FT; they had a rotating turret and had a significant impact on their victory. The artillery was further improved to light automatic weapons and submachine guns, which made World War 1 more complicated and deadly (Heerwagen, 2007). Germany was the first country to use a flamethrower, and later other forces adopted it to demoralize and cause terror to their enemies on the battlefield. Just before the end of World War 1 between 1917 and 1918, many countries had established their COG. They had a framework on how they would use it to have an advantage over their enemies and therefore trouncing them with few casualties on their side.
Clausewitz introduced the trinity, which is a robust framework that helps understand the phenomenon of war. The idea of the trinity as presented by Clausewitz conceptualizes the chaos of war; described as the tension between the people, government, and the army. The modern laws of war show a kind of legal trinity that seeks to regulate all points of the paradoxical trinity, as described by Clausewitz. According to Clausewitz, the triad or trinity is a paradoxical relationship in which there is violence, hatred, and hostility. The paradox of the trinity is that whereas war is an extension of policy, it is caused by primordial violence and hatred (Von Clausewitz, 2014). In the military, the general staff denotes an officer that acts as assistants to the commander of a division. Although the term was used in the 18th century, in the Prussian army, the name was developed and clearly defined by Clausewitz, and the U.S. and British Armies started applying it in 1903 and 1906, respectively.
In conclusion, Clausewitz had a significant impact on the birth of combined warfare through his writings, which proposed the ideas of the Center of Gravity and Paradoxical Trinity. The theory of COG helped militaries in World War 1 to use different combinations of artilleries so that they could find their strength and, therefore, weaknesses their enemies. The endeavor led to many inventions of lethal weapons, which were aimed at destroying enemies leading to many deaths. The armies used combinations of different warfare to have an edge in the war. Although most of Clausewitz's ideas have been distorted, most of his writings are used in modern education on military tactics. Clausewitz's views influenced the world wars of the twentieth century significantly. The introduction of nuclear weapons was revolutionized by strategic thinkers who existed in nuclear age by utilizing the Clausewitz's ideas that are found in the later stages of his writings. His work is still relevant today, with most military schools using his insights to teach military students.
References
Heerwagen, B. (2007). Carl Von Clausewitz and his Relevance as a Contemporary Theorist . ARMY WAR COLL CARLISLE BARRACKS PA.
Pommerin, R. (Ed.). (2014). Clausewitz goes global: Carl von Clausewitz in the 21st century . BoD–Books on Demand.
Von Clausewitz, C. (2014). Carl von Clausewitz: Historical and Political Writings . Princeton University Press.
