The Amazing World Of War Machines

The history of armed conflict is intrinsically tied to the history of civilization and Man's quest for the basic things in life. Over the centuries those weapons ranged from bow and arrows to armor, swords and chain mail. But one technological development left them all behind - the invention of gunpowder. Since then, the advances in weaponry have been both awe-inspiring, and frightening.

One of the fundamental pieces of military equipment is the rifle. Originally the soldier's musket was the crucial piece of hardware in gaining ground and holding it. New, more efficient firearms included the first shotgun and the bolt-action rifle. Walter Hunt, a prolific inventor, would be the man to come up with the idea of a "magazine" for easier loading of semi-automatic and automatic weapons.

The United State's 280mm Howitzer, Atomic Annie, was first tested in 1953. It fired a 365kg fission warhead 10,000 meters, and it detonated 160 meters above the ground. Both the US and the Soviet Union have since decommissioned these tactical weapons systems. Artillery itself has a long and distinguished history going back through time to the dawn of gunpowder.

Once man moved from hunter-gatherer to crop grower and farmer, he needed somewhere permanent to live, and to protect his property. From earliest civilization, forts, barricades and battlements were an intrinsic part of the world. Some of the oldest defensive structures still exist, and date back to the days of Assyria, Egypt and Greece.

The idea of tanks began as an extension of armory, with technicians seeing the need for soldiers to traverse the battlefield while being fully protected from enemy fire. As the type of weaponry used in warfare increased in size and caliber, the type of armor required became too heavy and cumbersome, and so the advent of the tank was welcomed by armies worldwide.

Another basic building block of civilization and warfare is the ship. From the Second Millennia BC, ships were used to transport troops to battle. The Egyptians and Syrians crossed the sea to do battle, and when they weren't fighting each other, they would use their vessels for trade, exploration and probably a little piracy! From the 7th and 6th centuries B.C, formal navies appeared.

Beneath the waves lurks a stealthy war machine. Capable of carrying nuclear weapons, submarines play a key role in the defense of many countries around the world today. The earliest beginnings of submarines can be traced back to the time of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. In 1776 American inventor David Bushnell designed and constructed the first military submarine.

The first fighter aircraft were flimsy contraptions made up of wood and fabric, flown by men with fast reflexes and deadly determination. How the times have changed. Today's fighter pilot takes control of a machine, which has doubtless cost his country millions of dollars to build.

In 1910 the world's first bombing tests were carried out by the United States in a plane that barely looked as though it could carry a human being, let alone a bomb! It wasn't until the German Rumpler Taube rolled off the production line in 1911 that planes were first used in combat. Zeppelins were also popular for their bomb-carrying capacity and ability to fly over long distances.

Rockets and guided missiles are the essential component of any military arsenal. By definition, rockets are unguided and follow the laws of physics and trajectory; whereas missiles are guided, either remotely or internally. There are many different types of missiles, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, surface to air missiles, and ballistic missiles.

In the early 1480s, Leonardo Da Vinci designed an aerial screw. Its intended use was unknown, yet served as the inspiration for the helicopter. Developments over the years have seen the Helicopter becoming more involved in troop transport, including airlifting the wounded directly to hospitals. Today's attack Helicopters show the versatility of this war machine.

Since the end of World War II, when the United States dropped the A-bomb on Japan, and the advent of the Cold War, the threat of nuclear destruction has never seemed far away. Although in recent times attempts have been made to slow or even stop nuclear proliferation, countries such as North Korea, China and Pakistan have continued to develop and test their own missiles.

NBC - Nuclear, Biological and Chemical - are the three weapons of mass destruction. The latter two have been used extensively throughout history in warfare. Bio-weapons have generally been taken from nature, although there have been attempts to manufacture them. Chemical weapons fall into four main categories according to which bodily system they effect: Nerve, Blood, Lung and Skin.