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.
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.
Artillery
Weapons such as the machine gun were the base for new artillery that was developed in World War II.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
The demands of wartime production needed someone to fill those jobs, so women were called upon to work in the factories.