The magnitude and extent of the warfare. Technology from World War I was enhanced and used in World War II.

WARFARE IN WORLD WAR II

What makes World War II different?

The magnitude and extent of the warfare.

Technology from World War I was enhanced and used in World War II.

What makes World War II different?

Lead into modern warfare tactics still used today.

Weapons

New inventions in this area included the following:

Ships (Aircraft Carriers, Subs)Artillery and small rocketsAircraftsTanksAtomic WeaponsBiological and chemical weapons

Aircraft Carriers

One of the new inventions of World War II was the aircraft carrier. This allowed airplanes to travel over large bodies of water and still be able to stop and refuel.

Aircraft Carriers

This changed the face of warfare since it enabled airplanes to access areas they previously won’t have been able to.

Submarines

The Germans elaborated on the submarines they used in World War I to create more powerful subs that could dive deeper and strike harder.

Submarines

While the Allies also used submarines, the Germans were always superior.

Artillery

Weapons such as the machine gun were the base for new artillery that was developed in World War II.

Artillery

The new weapons could fire faster, harder, and longer without needing to be reloaded.

Airplanes

Between World War I and World War II, planes were used more and more frequently. By the time World War II occurred, planes were a standard part of warfare for major powers.

Airplanes

Bombing was an essential part of the German blitzkrieg. Planes were also used for spying purposes.

Tanks

Tanks were invented in World War I by the British and were modified and improved for World War II.

Tanks

They could withstand heavier fire, travel faster, and hit the enemy harder than before.

Atomic Bomb

America invented the atomic bomb, and it was a decisive factor in the victory of the US over Japan.

Atomic Bomb

The invention of the atomic bomb changed the face of warfare, and resulted in an arms race.

Logistical Support

New inventions in logistical support included:

TrainsTrucks AirplanesVehicles for transporting soldiers and supplies

Trains

Existing train tracks were used to experiment with new methods of fighting and transporting artillery.

Trains

This picture represents one of the ways the Germans attempted to use trains.

Trucks

Between World War I and World War II, the use of motorized vehicles exploded.

Trucks

Trucks now became an essential part of warfare. Trucks were used to quickly transport troops and supplies.

Communications

New inventions/ideas in communications included tools for:

NavigationSpying/espionageGeneral communication

Electronic Communication

Electronic communicati-ons became very significant in World War II.

Electronic Communication

Intercepting of messages and jamming the sending of messages for enemies was a crucial tactical move.

Enigma

One of the key pieces of equipment for sending encoded and decoding messages was the enigma machine that encrypted the message as it was typed.

Radar

Radar became one of the most valuable instruments in the war. It allowed you to detect enemy strikes before the occurred.

Radar

Radar may seem standard now, but it was a new technology in World War II and changed the face of warfare.

Medicine

New inventions in medicine were in the following areas:

Surgical innovationsMedical techniquesNew medicines

Penicillin

There were many advances in medicine during World War II in surgical techniques, and field medicine.

Penicillin

One of the biggest changes though was the use of penicillin, an antibiotic.

Penicillin

Using penicillin helped eliminate a lot of the infectious diseases that soldiers died from in previous wars.

Industry

New innovations in industry/factories included the following:

Women going to work in factories

Production and distribution of goods

Synthetic Rubber

The creation of synthetic rubber was a result of World War II that we still benefit from today.

Synthetic Rubber

It has many wartime and everyday uses.

Synthetic Rubber

Natural rubber is mainly found in the Pacific, and when the war broke out the Allies were cut off from the rubber supply.

Women in Factories

When men went off the fight in the war they left their jobs behind.

Women in Factories

The demands of wartime production needed someone to fill those jobs, so women were called upon to work in the factories.

Women in Factories

Many women had never worked outside the home before this. Women’s roles in society and their views of themselves changed as a result.