World War II: Innovations and New Frontiers
“WWII – Innovations and New Frontiers”
HIUS 380 – Modern American Military History
Professor Robert Ritchie
Liberty University
Ken White
Student ID – 87118
April 13, 2013
War, in its raw nature, has always allowed mankind to invent and produce better weaponry, causing the opposing side to alter their military tactics and strategize over an offensive or defensive position based on the devastation an accuracy of the new armaments. WWII was no exception as history proved modern day warfare was about to become truly global. The confines of Europe in WWI would now expand to Africa, the Middle East, Russia, India, China, the Philippines, and Japan then even onto US territory. This “Great War” was truly a World War effecting billions of lives like never before and the new military arsenals of the Axis and Allied forces were becoming more powerful and accurate causing extreme devastation. We have all heard of the phrase “Necessity is the mother of all invention” and so it was with the military powers during World War II. To the Allies chagrin German scientists seemed to be coming up with new technological breakthroughs at an alarming pace. Hitler had built a militia that was second to none in the late thirties. Building upon the mild successes of the airplane in WWI he would have faster, sleeker and deadlier “weapons of the air” at his disposal. Air war would become critical and necessary to advance his ground troops as they invaded neighboring countries such as Poland. The German Blitzkrieg (lightning war), would begin against Poland in September of 1939 with expedient and overwhelming results. Gone were the trenches of the First World War as seen by the swift advance and maneuverability of the German war machine. They would use a strategy we would phrase as “shock and awe”. Germany’s military operations, “pioneered the use of massed armored formations to spearhead attacks, followed by infantry and other support
HIUS 380 – Modern American Military History
Professor Robert Ritchie
Liberty University
Ken White
Student ID – 87118
April 13, 2013
War, in its raw nature, has always allowed mankind to invent and produce better weaponry, causing the opposing side to alter their military tactics and strategize over an offensive or defensive position based on the devastation an accuracy of the new armaments. WWII was no exception as history proved modern day warfare was about to become truly global. The confines of Europe in WWI would now expand to Africa, the Middle East, Russia, India, China, the Philippines, and Japan then even onto US territory. This “Great War” was truly a World War effecting billions of lives like never before and the new military arsenals of the Axis and Allied forces were becoming more powerful and accurate causing extreme devastation. We have all heard of the phrase “Necessity is the mother of all invention” and so it was with the military powers during World War II. To the Allies chagrin German scientists seemed to be coming up with new technological breakthroughs at an alarming pace. Hitler had built a militia that was second to none in the late thirties. Building upon the mild successes of the airplane in WWI he would have faster, sleeker and deadlier “weapons of the air” at his disposal. Air war would become critical and necessary to advance his ground troops as they invaded neighboring countries such as Poland. The German Blitzkrieg (lightning war), would begin against Poland in September of 1939 with expedient and overwhelming results. Gone were the trenches of the First World War as seen by the swift advance and maneuverability of the German war machine. They would use a strategy we would phrase as “shock and awe”. Germany’s military operations, “pioneered the use of massed armored formations to spearhead attacks, followed by infantry and other support
Bibliography: McCombs, Don. (1983) “World War II – Strange and Fascinating Facts”; pg. 63; Wings Books, New York, NY Wernick, Robert Bradley, James. (2000) “Flags of our Fathers”; pgs. 62-65; Bantam Books, New York, NY Biblical references taken from the NLT Study Bible, (2008) Ambrose, Stephen E. (1998) “The Victors – Battle of the Bulge”; pg. 285; Simon and Schuster, Inc., UK Ltd. Brokaw, Tom. (1998) “The Greatest Generation”; pg. 18; Random House, Inc., New York, NY [ 2 ]. Wernick, Robert. “Blitzkrieg”; (1977), pg. 20; Time-Life Books, Inc., Canada [ 3 ] [ 6 ]. NLT Study Bible, (2008). Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Il [ 7 ] [ 8 ]. Brokaw, Tom. “The Greatest Generation”; (1998), pg. 18; Random House, Inc., New York, NY