"Technology determined the nature of WWI" How valid is this statement?.
Technology was a major contributor to the nature of WWI; however there are other aspects that must be considered as well. Technology played a major role in influencing the type of war that was fought between 1914 and 1918, however there were many other aspects of war that influenced the nature in which it was fought. These include the somewhat "primitive" thinking of strategies and warfare of the time. Generals and commanders of the armed forces were still in the same thinking of wars fought two hundred years previous to WWI. This was a particular influencing factor in the nature of war. Innovations made in technology through the industrial revolution also proved to be major influencing factors in the nature of war. There are many factors to consider in order to find what determined the nature of war. .
It is imperative to consider that the coming of the Industrial Revolution had a profound effect on the nature of war. The industrial revolution occurred during the course of WWI and affected the way in which battles were fought. The industrial revolution brought many new and efficient innovations to the battle fronts, including canned foods which allowed the soldiers to remain close to or on the front while they fed. Another advantage seen through the industrial revolution was that of mass munitions production, which allowed rapid and continuing production of weapons and in particular shells which were becoming a great shortage on the fronts. As a direct result of the industrial revolution, a majority of the population were employed into the munitions industry, where their leave of this industry was restricted. In this sense, technology defiantly determined the nature of war through the industrial revolution, allowing mass production and new innovative ways to survive on the battle front. This is a prime example of how technology played an important role throughout the course of the war.
