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Christian_Z_R's avatar

Good points! The idea of rifling is ancient, I believe the first illustration of it is from Leonardo Da Vinci. But one problem with your alternative storyline: Wouldn't they discover the enemy are using weird balls when they are extracting them from their own men the infirmary?

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Derek James Kritzberg's avatar

I enjoyed this article! I too am bothered by nonsensical depictions in writing and other media, especially in military and history matters - this frequently annoys my wife!

Machine guns played some role in creating the stalemate on the Western front. I think a larger contributor, though, was artillery advancements (which were the primary cause of trench digging), as well as something else you mentioned - new methods of mass conscription and the stress it put on stronger but still not sufficient logistics systems. Continent-sized armies were able to absorb massive losses without being beaten but also lacked the organization to penetrate into hostile territory then hold it.

The stalemate was unique to the Western front and was ended in part by the USA joining and building a massive rail system and engaging in maneuver warfare. Tanks also gave commanders, especially UK commanders, new avenues of assault that artillery used to suppress with ease, adding a chaos factor to formerly stable lines.

Machine guns, and other continuously advancing infantry weapons past that area (shoulder launched rockets, fpv drones) are capable of incredible destruction. But paradoxically these technologies still inflict the smallest portion of casualties - artillery is still king, with them inflicting 75-90% of battlefield casualties in wars. Infantry's main role, including machineguns, is still mostly suppression of the enemy and being a layer in the complex "onion of defense" at the center is which is a battery of big long range guns

If someone had brought more trench axes and wwi-era strategy to the US Civil war, and nothing else changed, i think it possible that war would have never ended, or possibly lasted twice as long.

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