Battles that Changed (American) History, Period 2, 11/19
"I hope everyone got through last week all right and used protection and that Friday will stop being the day for the mun to have computer trouble," Steve said dryly when the class gathered in the Danger Shop. "We're going to pick back up with World War I, for a time known as 'the Great War,' 'the War of Wars,' and, in common parlance, 'the War,' because what else could match it? Unfortunately, that question would be answered."
Steve talked briefly about the causes of the war and how America came to be involved, then switched gears with, "We're not going to talk about a particular battle for this war, but rather, about the defining factor of this war: modern technology. Those powers who showed up to this war with the traditional weapons of war--rifles, horse-mounted cavalry,--found themselves quickly outstripped by those powers that had automatic weaponry, tanks, and mustard gas. When both sides had these advantages, things rapidly ground into a stalemate--trench warfare." Steve clicked the remote in his hand, and the students would find themselves standing in a typical World War I trench. "Men lived in these trenches, often just yards from the enemy lines, waiting for an opportunity to toss a grenade at them or even go 'over the top' and try to take their position, in between heavy bombardment from above." That was when the explosions started in the distance. "The shelling could continue for hours, even days. Some men broke under the stress, hence the term 'shell shock,' known in previous times as 'soldier's heart,' later to become known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. So. Look around. Get a feel for the trenches. Please don't try to go over the top, I'm not really a programmer and the simulation isn't prepared to handle that."
Steve talked briefly about the causes of the war and how America came to be involved, then switched gears with, "We're not going to talk about a particular battle for this war, but rather, about the defining factor of this war: modern technology. Those powers who showed up to this war with the traditional weapons of war--rifles, horse-mounted cavalry,--found themselves quickly outstripped by those powers that had automatic weaponry, tanks, and mustard gas. When both sides had these advantages, things rapidly ground into a stalemate--trench warfare." Steve clicked the remote in his hand, and the students would find themselves standing in a typical World War I trench. "Men lived in these trenches, often just yards from the enemy lines, waiting for an opportunity to toss a grenade at them or even go 'over the top' and try to take their position, in between heavy bombardment from above." That was when the explosions started in the distance. "The shelling could continue for hours, even days. Some men broke under the stress, hence the term 'shell shock,' known in previous times as 'soldier's heart,' later to become known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. So. Look around. Get a feel for the trenches. Please don't try to go over the top, I'm not really a programmer and the simulation isn't prepared to handle that."