New Weapons

• What were the pros of poison gas?

  It could kill in a matter of hours

  It had horrible effects on its' victims - filled the lungs with fluid, burned eyes or blinded

  Gas could be fired using shells and not rely on the wind direction

  Phosgene was more deadly - could use less to harm the victims

  Some gas was invisible
• What were the cons of poison gas?

  Potential for blow back - if wind was blowing in the wrong direction it could harm your own men

  Gas masks helped prevent men from being harmed

  Fires could be used to clear the gas

  Couldn't send in your infantry straight after a gas attack or your men were at risk
• What were the pros of tanks?

  Could climb steep slopes and cross gaps of 2.5m

  Could go straight through barbed wire and across trenches

  Men inside were protected and could fire a machine gun on the tank

  The Germans feared the tank, as they had not seen one before

  Long distance (30km) range
• What were the cons of tanks?

  Early tanks often broke down or ran out of petrol / stuck in the mud

  Crews could choke on the petrol fumes from tanks

  Needed 10 men to operate

  If the tank broke down the crew were very vulnerable
• What were the pros of aircrafts?

  Used for reconnaissance - gathering information on enemy trenches

  Useful for attacking infantry on the ground

  Could be used with tanks to help achieve a breakthrough

  Later they were used to drop bombs

  Used in 'dog fights' - pilots firing at each other mid-air
• What were the cons of aircrafts?

  Limited range at the start of the war - very recently developed

  Limited on how far they could fly due to their fuel supply

  Only useful for trained pilots