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You are here: Experts > Homework Help > Military History > Military History > Artillery Tactics
Expert: Paul Sutton - 11/3/2009
Question
Hello, I'm currently studying modern history more specifically the Western Front in WW1. now each person in the class has a specific area of study and I have chosen Artillery and how it was used in the First World War. I understand how artillery was used in supporting infantry, tanks and how it targeted a location and creeping/rolling barrages but are there any other tactics used?
Answer
Greetings
For World War 1 at the begining the tactics were pretty simple. The big changes were chemical shells and there usage and the German storm trooper tactics. Chemical weapons starting with tear gas and quickly moving to mustard gas meant that unprotected troops who survived the initial hit could still be wounded or killed by the gas coming from artillery shells. Gas masks and protective clothing quickly were added to soldier’s uniforms but a quick barrage could still cause causalities. So harassment bombardment would occur sometimes with chemical weapons and sometimes with normal explosives.
Normally before an offensive operation a huge barrage lasting days would be fired on a target. Then an infantry attack. The Germans realized that this long bombardment had several disadvantages. One it warned the enemy of a coming attack; meanly that had time to start putting together a reserve to counter the attack. And second the ground soon become almost impassable. The Germans for the storm trooper tactics relied an on short artillery barrage. A massive number of artillery was used to force a break thru that the infantry could then use to get into the allied trenches.
I hope this helps and enjoy the links. I can recommend a book Allied Artillery of World War One by Ian V. Hogg
http://books.google.com/books?id=Us39rrplA5oC&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=artillery+tact...
http://www.worldwar1.com/sfgermreorg.htm
http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/539-31.aspx
http://www.firstworldwar.com/weaponry/gas.htm
http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/Heller/HELLER.asp
http://www.johnsmilitaryhistory.com/stormtrooper.html
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