The War to End All Wars
The Maxim Gun
In 1884, Hiram Maxim, an American-born engineer, developed the first machine gun, the Maxim gun. The Maxim gun was a recoil-operated, belt-fed machine gun that utilized the energy from firing to automatically reload and fire successive rounds. The Maxim gun used the recoil power of the previously fired bullet to reload rather than being hand-powered, enabling a much higher rate of fire than was possible. The barrel also introduced the use of water cooling, via a water jacket around the barrel, to reduce overheating, allowing the gun to fire for long periods.
The Adoption of the Maxim Gun
The Maxim gun's innovative design allowed it to fire up to 600 rounds per minute. The British Army recognized the potential of the Maxim gun and adopted it in 1889. It quickly became a standard weapon in their arsenal. Other countries, including Germany, Russia, and the United States, also recognized its effectiveness and began acquiring and incorporating Maxim guns into their military forces.
Result of Machine Guns in WWI
The machine guns provided unprecedented firepower and lethality in defensive positions. They could deliver a high volume of continuous fire, mowing down advancing infantry with devastating effects. This led to the creation of heavily fortified defensive systems, such as trenches and barbed wire, to maximize the defensive advantages of machine guns.
On July 1st, 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, Lieutenant Alfred Bundy, and his men were advancing to the German lines
“Suddenly... an appalling rifle and machine gun fire opened against us and my men commenced to fall. I shouted “down” but most of those that were still not hit had already taken cover. I dropped in a shell hole and occasionally attempted to move to my right and left but bullets were forming an impenetrable barrage and exposure of the head meant certain death”
