The War to End All Wars
About Artillery
Throughout the 2nd Industrial Revolution, Artillery was improved dramatically in that artillery pieces saw improvements to the steel gun barrels through rifling, more powerful gunpowders, and piston mountings. With all these new improvements to artillery, new tactics on how to use them began to arise
Paris Gun
The biggest German gun from World War I, the “Paris Gun” could fire a 234 lb. shell to a range of 81 miles and a maximum altitude of 26.3 miles. The first shell landed at 7:18 a.m. on 23 March 1918 on the Quai de la Seine, the explosion being heard across the city. The effect on morale in Paris was immediate: by 27 March, queues of thousands had started at the Gare d'Orsay and, at the Gare Montparnasse, ticket sales out of the capital were suspended due to demand. These shells would continue to rain down destruction on Paris, killing a total of 250 people and wounding 620
The Different Tactics
Creeping Barrage:
This tactic involved a moving artillery barrage that advanced at a set pace just ahead of the advancing infantry. The goal was to suppress and disorient enemy defenders, allowing friendly troops to advance safely behind the moving wall of explosions
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Rolling Barrage: Similar to the creeping barrage, the rolling barrage was a continuous line of moving artillery fire. However, in this tactic, the pace of the barrage increased as the infantry advanced, "rolling" forward and intensifying pressure on the enemy.
Standing Barrage: Instead of advancing, a standing barrage involved stationary artillery fire concentrated on a specific area. It was often used to provide cover for troops in defensive positions or to block enemy access to strategic locations.
Box Barrage: The box barrage created a protective "box" of artillery fire around a targeted area, preventing enemy reinforcements from reaching or leaving the designated zone. It was particularly useful in isolating enemy strongholds during offensive operations.
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Harassing Barrage: A harassing barrage involved random or periodic artillery fire on enemy positions to disrupt their activities, lower morale, and hinder their ability to coordinate effectively.