How the Airplane Changed War Essay

Technology and weapons in wars since the Civil War have been progressing each and every day since then. There has been a number changes both good and not so good that has affected how our countries military forces react to the battle field. The advancements that has been made over the many years have killed millions and millions of people during time at war. Since the American Civil War there has been drastic changes to how war that have been fought. Why has technology in war been so important and helpful to us but at the same time been so devastating or us? Wars have also been started because of a new technology and using an antidote to those technologies have brought victory.

Airplanes were in a similar position as tanks - the technology was really too new and immature for effective combat use. At best, the airplane provided better observation and reconnaissance ability than previously available, but, in a static trench-warfare setting (with the commonly poor European weather), the amount of benefit this provided is easy to overstate. Tactical and strategic bombing was non-existent; the airplane would have to wait for the wars of

The technology of World War II, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, was a big part of the determination of the outcome of the war. Much of the technology was developed during the interwar years. Some of it was developed because of failure and hindrance in war progression, obviously because of inefficient technology. Still some was in the beginning stages of development as the war ended. Though earlier war greatly utilized science, mathematics, and innovation, World War II had the largest impact on the innovation in technology of the current lives of Americans. Furthermore, no war, preceeding or succeeding, was as profoundly affected by science, mathematics, and technology as World War II. Science and technology have always made

Ships were also revolutionized during the World War II era. Naval technology was very poor at the time, but once radar technology was developed, navigation and detection was made much easier for submarine and ship pilots. The invention of radar was still very new — being developed only 2 years prior to the start of World War II. Hours of experimentation and development were poured into enhancing radar technology so that the allied forces could better combat the Nazi fleet. Aircrafts were also made more advanced during World War II. Aviation in general was very new at the time, so optimizing what basic aircrafts we had at the time for battle (by equipping them with guns and bombs) was a challenging feat. Considering the first powered flight had taken place only in 1903, only 40 years before

The 1920s was a decade of prosperity and prelude to the diverse introduction of new technologies. At the same time the automobile became popular, aircraft began to develop. Although during the World War II, aircraft is widely used to attack into enemy lines, prior to this, aircraft was used to deliver mail and compete for the distance it could fly without making any stop. One such aviator, Charles A. Lindbergh challenged to the first solo transatlantic flight and in a moment, he became one of the America’s most beloved hero.

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was a single-engine, single-seat, metal fighter plane and ground-attack aircraft that was made by the Americans. The P-40 Warhawk fighters first flew in 1938 and caught the attention of the United States Army Air Corps, who placed the largest fighter plane order it had ever made for fighters for a count of 524 at a cost of US$13 million. This was the earliest serious fighter in WWII and did its job until better fighters came out. It was known as a safe and secure aircraft that was able to fly pilots back home after being shot up in action. Many variants of this plane were later created. In addition, the shark teeth graphics were a big feature on this plane.

With the invention of the machine gun the fighter plane was created and the first flying “aces” arose. This was important because when both sides were entrenched it became the job of the planes to create an opening. In addition to fighter planes the creation of bombers played a vital role in the war and in subsequent wars. Planes were now able to just drop a bomb on the enemy, causing a large amount of damage. The advancements in aircraft made during wartime paved the way for future generations to create advanced airplanes with useful additions like precise maneuvering equipment and missiles. In addition, post-war advancements include the invention of the tri-motor in 1926, the first single engine plane in 1927, and the first transatlantic passenger plane also in 1927. WWI had a huge effect on the development of plane technology because without it people may have never realized the potential for air warcraft except for the few pilots with the vision of dropping bombs on the

The First World War was monumental in history because of all the new technology that was introduced. One particular area that developed during the Great War was the use of airplanes by the German and Allied militaries. In comparison, they both had different mentalities towards an invention that was only made successful less than a decade before the outbreak of war in 1914 by the Wright Brothers in North Carolina, United States. The German Military welcomed the idea with open arms, investing in its potential for military uses, whereas the Allies remained reserved and hesitant, claiming that aircraft could not be used for anything more offensive than reconnaissance missions. These differences in opinions later affected the development of each air force. The German military kept making monthly improvements to their equipment whereas the allied pilots were slow in their respective air forces evolution. However, there was a common progression that both militaries had which was the slow phasing out of the cavalry on either side due to the effectiveness of the aircrafts reconnaissance capabilities. During the World War One, the German military took advantage of the new technology available to them, which gave significant results, whereas the Allies had a more traditional mindset for the beginning of the conflict.

Planes were important in the Pacific war. The B-29 delivered weapons to American soldiers in the region. Those weapons helped them win many major battles against the Japanese. They also helped America win the war. The B-29 was used to drop the “Little Boy” bomb on Hiroshima and “Fat Man” on Nagasaki.

It is evident that the Civil War helped shape America into the country it is today. The strong factional division -based on slavery- between the Union and the Confederacy guaranteed certain achievements of both sides. Much of what we consider history today remains a part of the outcome from these multiple bloody battles. Activist John Muir of the Civil War-era stated, “the traces of war are not only apparent on the broken fields, burnt fences, mills, and woods ruthlessly slaughtered, but also on the countenances of the people” (page 535). Changes were noticeable throughout the nation. Due to the Civil War, the United States advanced its technology, showed true power from a federal, and how sympathetic political understanding helped the nation.

World War I introduced the American military to the modern industrial war. The conflict with Mexico in 1914 gave the U.S an opportunity to try new technology such as motorization and aircraft. However, this was strong a small conflict that did not translate to that of the First World War. The American military was not modern yet compared to other powers.

Airplanes started to become a huge contribution to transporting our mail, weapons for wars, and many other things. Wilbur and Orville Wright, owners of a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio, not only built, but flew the first airplane over the beach at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1903 (Tindall, Shi, 2013). “Planes did not advance as rapidly as automobiles. Although in 1914, the outbreak of the war soon changed that, once the Europeans developed it as a military weapon” (Tindall, Shi, 2013). During the war, an American aircraft industry had developed.

Hopes of American-Japanese relations came crumbling down when Japan launched a surprise attack on America during World War II (WWII) that would kill thousands. As the Empire of Japan expanded land into China, Americans became angered. The United States stopped all shipments of oil and steal to Japan which was being used to make various war machinery and thereon began sending other military hardware to the military leader of China. Numerous negotiations still did not sway the United States into allowing Japan to continue expansion, nor did Japan adhere to America’s terms of ceasing expansion. Japan acted on America’s decision to end all shipments by sending six aircrafts southward toward Hawaii and dropping bombs on Pearl Harbor, causing great damage and many casualties President Roosevelt declared the United States at war with Japan and sent Lieutenant J. H. Doolittle and other commanders on a mission to bomb Japan after their attack on Pearl Harbor.

On December 7th 1941, Japanese planes bombed the United States Naval base at Pearl Harbor. There are many reasons as to why they did this, but I believe that the reason that Japan ordered the attack is because of the U.S. embargo, oil embargo, and Immigration quota. All hindered Japan’s influence and ego, so they definitely wanted to attack.

December 7, 1941 a Japanese naval fleet neared an American naval base located in the Hawaiian islands and launched an air attack which bombed Pearl Harbor. This began the involvement of the United States of America in world war two. The U.S industries boomed and produced hundreds of thousands of warplanes, “Enough to cover the skies with grey” one veteran said. Mcdonnell Douglas was major in the plane transportation business and had already made the D.C- 1, 2, and 3. In those times they were their modern day transport airliners.