The Invention of Tanks, Helicopters and Missiles: Impact on Contemporary Global Warfare - Term Paper Example

Module The Invention of Tanks, Helicopters and Missiles: Impact on Contemporary Global Warfare Introduction The fact that technological advancements have revolutionized all aspects of human life cannot be overstated. Militarism has also significantly adopted technology throughout its timelines, effectively transforming the course of warfare. This is mostly in the 20th and 21st Centuries where technology enjoyed its peak age to date. Specifically, the use of tanks, helicopters and missiles in the first and second world wars and in the most recent wars in the new millennium has hugely changed warfare. Background: Timelines for use of Tanks The tank is a perfect example of a difference between old and contemporary warfare. It was first used in World War I and has since then transformed traditional land warfare. At first, tanks were crude and inefficient as is typical to most new technologies but gained prominence as the war went on and by World War II had become the backbone of land warfare as they still are as of today. According to Trueman (2011) the idea for the development of tanks stemmed from the need to create an armored vehicle that could cross difficult land with ease on caterpillar tracks in a similar fashion to farm vehicles. The consensus for such an armored vehicle were that it should achieve speeds of 4 mph on bare land, possess the ability to turn sharply at top speed, the ability to climb 5 feet inclines, the ability to cross 8 feet gaps and a walking radius of 20 miles. The first tanks could also carry ten crew men, two submachine guns and a single light artillery gun. From this parent tank, later tanks in World War II (such as the M4 Sherman tank) and later wars in the 21st century (the general purpose main battle tank) with more sophistication and war ability have been developed. The direct results of use of the tank was transformation of land warfare from use of traditional systems of cavalries such as those in Napoleonic wars () and instead focus on mechanization. This was a necessary occurrence due to the earlier change in ground warfare that saw the rise of trench warfare. Trench warfare involved troops occupying trenches and thus effectively withering the power of ground regiments and creating stalemates in war which was quite costly in all military aspects. The tank doctrine was thus important in transforming land militarism from trench warfare to mechanized warfare and most importantly encouraging the use of radical technological advancements in war. Helicopters The most important period in the development of helicopters was between 1900-1939 (McGowen 1) which conveniently places their use in warfare in the contemporary sense and thus makes them important in this study. After decades of theoretical work but impractical strides in development of the helicopter, this period was groundbreaking due to two factors; invention of the internal combustion engine and secondly the advancements in mettulurgy that led to the development of lighter engines that could achieve high power/weight ratios (2). In terms of application in war, helicopters missed out on World War I since vertical flight could not be achieved, not until 1924. The Germans would first use helicopters in early World War II. Meanwhile, the United States possible entry into the war prompted military action strategists to seek procurement of new equipment one of which was the helicopter. Hence, the most important advancements of the helicopter in terms of military use occurred in the USA especially considering that efforts such as those of the Soviet Union were instead hampered by occurrence of war (McGowen 18). For instance, the XR-4 was of particular importance to the USA in World War II as it weighed on 2700 pounds and could fly at a height of 5000 feet at a speed of 70 mph. The first uses of helicopters in the war included carriage of light freight and mail and also for humanitarian aid supplies (34). By 1944, helicopters were being used for combat rescue and evacuation of air soldiers and wounded soldiers. Day (2001) argues that although helicopters did not play an active role in actual combat in World War II, their use in supply and rescue operations indicated the usefulness that helicopters would have in future warfare. The evolution of the helicopter into one of the most formidable military tools revitalized the importance of airpower in warfare as the helicopters have been found to be convenient and also allow for easy maneuvering. By the time of the Vietnam War, the USA had developed the attack helicopter as an important component of their warfare, with Nastasi (2001) arguing that it dawned a new age and tactics for the US military. Missiles The third piece of technology under study as revolutionizing modern warfare lies in the use of missiles. According to White and Murphy (1), both the Allies and Axis powers in World War II experimented with the use of guided missiles against their opponents. In essence, the missiles would be controlled by radio signaling from nearby aircraft and used as both offensive and defensive weaponry. Nicholls (1) argues that the potential of cruise missiles to change the course of modern day warfare was appreciated during and after World War I. However, the full potential of missiles was not felt during the first half of the 20th Century despite their use. Instead, the latter part of the century was characterized by significant advances in missile technology in terms of guidance and control which translates to increased lethality, reliability and accuracy of missiles and hence their impact on modern warfare and the importance of air power. Germany again appears in the development of both cruise and ballistic missiles as Hitler was convinced that their use against the British would prove decisive into forcing them to surrender. The USA and the Soviet Union developed missile warfare technology further post-World War II. Missiles- especially intercontinental ballistic ones- characterized a significant portion of the arms race in the Cold War with the USA and Soviet Union both building missiles that could travel over thousands of miles in space and strike their targets with accuracy. Besides, missiles have gained more importance in contemporary warfare due to the ability to carry war-heads including weapons of mass destruction such as chemical, biological and radiological elements (US Centenial Flight Commission). The USA has used cruise missiles in Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan and Yugoslavia thus indicating their capabilities as military weaponry with Nicholls (2) arguing that this would convince states around the world of the attractiveness for use in war and subsequently their proliferation and increased use in modern warfare. The importance of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) can never be overstated in modern warfare as their destructive potential is not in question. Impact of Advanced Technology in the Course of Warfare: The Global Military Power Balance One of the most significant effects of use of missiles, helicopters and tanks among other technologies in modern warfare has been in the maintenance of global military power balance. The USA has access to most of the advances in military technology and thus stays steps ahead against the enemy in war time as shall be discussed through case examples here-in. It has to be noted that although the use of technologies such as the ones this discussion focuses upon by the USA has not always resulted in success, it has largely impacted the course of US warfare and their possession and use strengthened the military position of the US in the world. According to Duyvesteyn and Angstrom (152), technological advancements over the last few decades have largely impacted American conduct of welfare in a significantly revolutionary way. Focusing on airpower and helicopters, Duyvesteyn and Angstrom discuss the wars in Vietnam and more recently in Afghanistan in terms of airpower. Although the USA can be seen to have used largely similar tactics in both cases- specifically the search and destroy and the find, fix, fight, finish tactics- the course of warfare was different between the Vietnam War and the campaign in Afghanistan. In terms of overall USA tactical and strategic aspects in the way, it is discernible that application of large bombing campaigns, use of Special Forces and air transportation of troops among other considerations remained the same in both wars occurring decades apart. The main differences between the wars, however, rest in the level of technology at the disposal of the USA military campaigns. In terms of airpower, the USA was better placed in Afghanistan since improvements in helicopter technology and application resulted in better reconnaissance, surveillance and mobility in comparison to the situation in Vietnam. The risk of friendly and civil casualties was significantly reduced in Afghanistan in comparison to Vietnam. Duyvesteyn and Angstrom (152) argue that a critical factor in American success amidst the many failures included the use of helicopters in transport which led to an increased level of cooperation between the airpower and the ground forces. It is also of note that helicopters were instrumental in the USA strategy of massive bombing campaigns to break the morale of enemy fighters and to reduce their mobility while at the same time reducing the number of casualties among the Americans. For instance, different versions of UH-1 Huey and AC-1 Cobra helicopters were used in Vietnam as firepower support to American ground ranks (150-151). The fact that American strategy and warfare tactics have remained largely the same over decades as depicted in the Vietnam and Afghanistan wars while the USA has remained a military power over the years indicates the importance of bearing better warfare technology. The helicopters helped change the course of war despite similar strategies being used as can be seen in increased importance of military airpower in supplementing ground fire power and their impact in synchronizing ground and air efforts. Improved helicopter technology and use in battle achieves better mobility and surveillance as well as the described impact on enemy forces (morale and casualties) and thus makes Western warfare much stronger thus helping maintain the balance of military power in the world. Air Warfare and the Humanitarian Element in the Course of Modern Warfare Another impact of advancement in military technology in contemporary times is in terms of its influence on war ethics and codes especially in terms of humanitarianism. Debates have always accompanied military intervention as carried out by the western world, with the issue of intervention due to humanitarianism taking center stage. For instance, Ramuhala (38-43) discusses the debate for and against military intervention based on humanitarian grounds stating that global politics especially after the Cold War translate to a situation where engaging in military action is a much sensitive issue. An example of this is the recent NATO-led intervention in the Libyan crisis where the humanitarian reason (coming to the aid of the people of Libya) was shredded in doubts over selfish interests by members of NATO. All in all, it is important to realize that ethics and codes exist in warfare with special reference to protection of the civilian communities within the regions experiencing war (Venturini 1-3). The impact of changes in technology on humanitarian considerations or benevolence to individuals can effectively be studied through the use of the helicopter and missiles in times of warfare. Before this is done, however, the law on air warfare has to be first established. According to Venturini (7), although codification of air combat has not been achieved on an international level as has been navy and land warfare (due to the development of air combat much later than the latter two), drawing from previous conventions and agreements brings into focus the right conduct during air combat. For instance, the Geneva Convention following World War II was largely drafted basing on a humanitarian basis but incorporates elements of conduct in air combat. Air warfare has been recognized as one of the top factors that negatively affect the principle of distinction and protection according to International Humanitarian Law which should be accorded to civilian populations trapped in armed conflicts (17). The most relevant provisions in the IHL for this study lie in Article 58 of Additional Protocol I which highlights the obligations of conflicting parties in terms of the effects of attack; military objective is prohibited from being placed within or near densely populated areas and importance placed on removal of civilians and civilian objects from areas near or within military objective (29). Venturini (29) argues that sophistication in the air warfare technology being developed promotes the principle of distinction through offering unique opportunities to shield the civilian population from armed combat. The two elements of this discussion that fall under air warfare are missiles and helicopters, whose impact in promotion of distinction and thus humanitarianism in the course of warfare will be discussed. First, the increased precision and accuracy that accompanies use of missiles translates to a scenario where strikes end up at the intended aim point. This impact on the course of warfare by missiles results in less collateral damage and incidental injury to civilians and thus promotes the issue of humanitarianism that pervades contemporary warfare. Missiles thus help fulfill the first requirement in the Article 58 of Additional Protocol I which requires that armed combat be diverted from areas of civilian settlement. It can thus be concluded that the impact of missiles on the course of warfare has resulted in increased observation of the humanitarian/distinction principle in modern warfare. Helicopters on the other hand have the abilities of vertical flight and being stationary in the air and thus can be used to evacuate civilians from combat points where necessary. They can also be used to deliver supplies to such civilians to meet their medical and/or nutritional needs and thus promote humanitarianism during the course of warfare. International Humanitarian Law seeks to ensure that parties at war not only respect civilians but also take all precautions for the benefit of the civilians who find themselves caught in the war. Supply of foodstuffs and medicines through helicopters to civilians during warfare indicates that helicopters have played an important part in fulfilling this ethical requirement by combatants. The impact of helicopters on the course of welfare in terms of evacuations also helps meet the second provision of Article 58 of Additional Protocol I which concerns the removal of civilians and civilian objects from military objectives. Military Technological Advances as More Disruptive Technologies in Contemporary Warfare The impact of technological advances in changing the course of warfare can also be established in their disruptive nature in comparison to the past. The use of missiles and tanks in modern warfare can be seen as reshaping the nature of war into actually and potentially more disruptive. Mclvor (228) argues that the impact of technology on may be based on their unleashing and acceleration of social and cultural changes that determine the nature of war and have wider impacts. He identifies competition as the main driver of technological advancement in militarism in the 20th century and cites the USA investing in science and technology in the bid to develop stealth technologies and precision-guided weapons (such as ballistic and cruise missiles) thus determining the use of disruptive technologies in battle. Works Cited Day, Dwayne A. Helicopters at War. US Centennial of Flight Commission. 2001. Web. 10 December 2011. Duyvesteyn, Isabelle and Angstrom, Jan. Rethinking the Nature of War. USA: CUP, 2005. Print. McGowen, Stanley S. Helicopters: An Illustrated History of their Impact. California: ABC-CLIO Inc., 2005. Print. McIvor, Anthony D. Rethinking the Principles of War. USA: Naval Institute Press, 2005. Print. Nastasi, Mike. The Role of Airpower in the Vietnam War. Military History Online. 2001. Web. 10 December 2011. Niccholls, David J. Cruise Missiles and Modern War Strategic and Technological Implications. Maxwell Air Force Base. Alabama: AWC, 2000. Print. Trueman, Chris. Tanks and World War One. History Learning. Web. 10 December 2011. Venturini, Gabriella. The Law of Air Warfare: Contemporary Issues. Netherlands: Eleven International Publishing, 2006. Print. White, David and Murphy, Daniel P. Guided Missiles and Rockets. World War II Air Weapons. 2011. Web. 10 December 2011. Read More