The American Civil War involved warfare between the north and south parts of the country between 1861 and 1865. The leading cause of the war was slavery –where the south wanted the abolishment of slavery, whereas the north was against the move. Each side, therefore, used various military tactics and operations to win the movement. It involved the aspect of total war where all segments of the society would be engaged in the battle. The rise of telegraphs and railroads changed the direction of the warfare, hence, intel would be sent to the front much quicker than before. In contrast, World War I, commonly referred to as WWI, happened between 1914 and 1918. The enemies and the allies used popular and intelligent military tactics that have been incorporated in succeeding wars. It is the most massive revolt in military technologies and tactics in history. Importantly, the primary battlefield operations from the war have remained valid and relevant in the modern world, for instance, albeit adapted to the continued advancements in technologies and weaponry. Outstandingly the global military developments after 1918 were virtually a technical enhancement to the concepts used in World War I. Although during the American Civil War some new technologies such as rifles were used, it was the combination of the first and second wave of technological advancements used in World War I that make it the first modern war.
New Weapons Employed
The American Civil War and WWI vary on the military strategies they used. Each participant of WWI had to cope with the latest technologies, particularly the Germans, since they overly relied on the production of military technologies (Taylor, 2013). They, however, did not consider understanding the technical operations of the types of machinery. The Germans were better than the Allies in the field of firepower, including machine guns, track, and heavy artillery.
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Additionally, the Germans used the U shaped battleships, which improved contemporary submarine warfare. The use of tanks was initially used in WWI (Taylor, 2013). Initially, during the American Civil weapons, muskets were used, yet they were old-fashioned, inaccurate, and could not be used beyond forty yards (Fleche, 2012). Moreover, they took longer to reload; hence, they were unreliable. In some cases, the soldiers would rely on swords and knives. They also incorporated the use of submarines and ironclads that were protected using iron or steel plates. Comparatively, WWI used advanced battleships, for instance, the Dreadnought that revolutionized sea war; however, the civil war relied on small naval ships that lacked the resilience for maritime warfare.
Military Tactics
Various military strategies and tactics are used in war. The WWI utilized modern tactical doctrines by using modern explosives and weaponry that reinforced the supremacy of either side. For instance, they developed trench warfare where soldiers would tunnel into the enemies’ trenches to plant bombs (Mosier, 2011). Additionally, they used spies and maneuver warfare by using the old model since they failed to comprehend the dynamics of the central paradigm. By the end of WWI, the basics of coordinated arms wars were firmly incorporated with artillery, infantry, and the use of naval air forces to reinforce each other’s assets and to cover and protect each other’s flaws (Mosier, 2011). The civil war used the maneuver where individual regiments were organized into a more massive brigade. Moreover, the forces contained various commanders that led the battles. Also, both sides adopted the Napoleonic tactics that increased the effectiveness of their attacks and, consequently, their killing power (Fleche, 2012). The infantry strategies, however, resulted in dramatic casualties since it expended ammunition from the war to low ratios. Moreover, the use of muskets and smokeless powder made the war cluttered since it obstructed their visibility. The use of modern tactics during WWI led to the obsolescence of some strategies such as the Napoleonic.
Home Front
The impacts of wars are not limited to those on the battlefield. The home fronts used in both wars were different. In the case of WWI, it included the bombing of various parts, including Britain, by Germans. This attack on civilians marked the first time non-combats were targeted in war. The naval Germans conducted the acts during their raids. In December 1914, Germans attacked Whitby, Scarborough, and Hartlepool cities resulting in hundreds of deaths (Taylor, 2013). Since the night of 31st May 1915 to October 1915, the attacks were occasional and led to the death of numerous civilians and destruction of property (Taylor, 2013). They, however, ended following the introduction of the Royal Naval Air Service that patrolled the city at night. Comparatively, the Civil War affected civilians in diverse ways, including inflation sicknesses, inadequate supplies, and long periods without news from their men. Similarly, women began caring and feeding their families while overtaking their husband’s duties.
Innovative Propaganda Campaigns
Both sides of the civil war benefited from propaganda. They, therefore, used various instruments to initiate conflict; however, the main publicity began before the war. During the battle, songs, poems, and pictures were used to illustrate the movement. Additionally, they used decorated devices attached to the unit flags to signify their representation in the war. They include the Gettysburg propaganda of June 1863, the Cold Harbor of June 1964, and the Appomattox of April 1865 (Fleche, 2012). In contrast, WWI used various campaigns in its insurgency. The propaganda was used internationally to mobilize hatred for the enemies and to strengthen the support of ally-nations while increasing active support in their countries (Welch, 2013). Moreover, the movements were used to engage and attract cooperation and coordination of neutral countries. The contemporary methods of initiating propaganda in WWI were using posters, photographs, and music to gain influence over the civilians. For instance, in Britain, various activities were undertaken to convince the public of the cause and consequently influence people into joining and allowing their men to participate in the war (Welch, 2013). Modern wars, including WWI and WWII, needed publicity to increase their uprising.
Conclusion
The technological wave of the 19th century shaped the tactics used in battlefields. The advancement began with the development of the rifled breech-loading weapons that had increased firing and speed. Afterward followed the innovation of machine guns, repeating rifles, smokeless powder, and internal combustion engines. These significant technological improvements were used during WWI to revolutionize modern war. Consequently, the new weapons increased the lethality and tempo of battle operations, thus increasing the coordination between cavalry and infantry that were required to ensure success at the battlefield. WWI marked the insurgence of contemporary operational art and level of warfare. While the purpose of tactics is to succeed in battles, strategies aim to win wars. The successes and failures of WWI formed a basis of innovative tactics and strategies that helped the wars that followed in, for instance, WWII. The technological and military experience identified from WWI demonstrated the need for a conscious understanding of the technical operations in war. One of the takeaway points from the war indicates the true extent of military efficacy is not dependent on past accomplishments; instead, it relies on methods that work now. Arguably the World War I was the first modern combat since all parties utilized advanced military technology and communication that revolutionized how battles were fought.
References
Fleche, A. M. (2012). The Revolution of 1861: The American Civil War in the Age of Nationalist Conflict. Univ of North Carolina Press.
Mosier, J. (2011). The Myth of the Great War: A New Military History of World War 1. Harper Collins.
Taylor, P. M. (2013). The First World War. In Munitions of the Mind. Manchester University Press.
Welch, D. (Ed.). (2013). Propaganda, power, and persuasion: From World War I to WikiLeaks (Vol. 90). IB Tauris.
